Baka-Tsuki - User contributions [en]

User:Chocolatkey

2018-09-05T19:59:03Z

Chocolatkey:

Hi. I like contributing to this wiki when I spot a mistake in grammar, spelling or punctuation while enjoying the reads. This is my thanks to BakaTsuki and its community for the hard work they do, providing me with tons of LN content from Japan (and other Asian countries). I am a native English speaker and speak/write French and German at a very proficient level. I had about 4 years of Chinese teaching, but retained very little. The characters are the same for Kanji which gives me a slight advantage while trying to learn Japanese.

Thanks for the hard work everyone

--Chocolatkey

I'm a High School Boy and a Bestselling Light Novel author, strangled by my female classmate who is my junior and a voice actress

2016-05-30T19:34:53Z

Chocolatkey: /* Story Synopsis as per volume 1 */

{{Status|Active}}

[[Image:This_title_is_too_long!_v1_Cover.png|250px|thumb|right|frameless|Cover artwork for volume 1]]

'''I'm a High School Boy and a Bestselling Light Novel author, strangled by my female classmate who is my junior and a voice actress (男子高校生で売れっ子ライトノベル作家をしているけれど、年下のクラスメイトで声優の女の子に首を絞められている。 Danshi Koukousei de Urekko Light Novel Sakka wo Shiteiru keredo, Toshishita no Classmate de Seiyuu no Onnanoko ni Kubi wo Shimerareteiru.)'''is a Japanese light novel series written by Keiichi Sigsawa, with illustrations by Kōhaku Kuroboshi. Currently, the story has 3 volumes.

==Series Information==

Genre: School life <br>
Japanese Title: 男子高校生で売れっ子ライトノベル作家をしているけれど、年下のクラスメイトで声優の女の子に首を絞められている。 <br>
Author: 時雨沢恵一 (Keiichi Sigsawa) <br>
Illustrator: 黒星紅白 (Kōhaku Kuroboshi) <br>
Volumes: 3 <br>
Status: Ongoing

== Translation ==

According to Section B of the [[Baka-Tsuki:Copyrights|Baka-Tsuki TLG Translation Common Agreement]], Under no circumstances would you(b2)...

<span style="color:red">'''submit translated works(a) copied directly from an unauthorized source such as, but not limited to, online, written sources etc. . If you(b2) submit works(a) that have been authorized by their rights holder, permission, in the form of written/electronic/printed must be available upon request.'''</span>

=== [[This_title_is_too_long!:Registration Page|Registration]] ===

Those who wish to contribute are asked to first notify a supervisor beforehand.

===Story Synopsis as per volume 1===

I'm a high school student who became an author after debuting at Dengeki Bunko. After taking a year of hiatus from school to write my work, I transferred out to another high school to study, and met a girl called Eri Nitadori in school, a rookie voice actress cast as a character in the anime adaptation of my work.

In school, we treat our professions as a secret. However, Nitadori's very popular in class, and I'm a loner...the only chance we get to talk to each other is when we take the Limited Express train together every Thursday, seated side by side as we head off for an anime After Recording.

To improve her skills, she asked me questions regarding the profession. While I was answering the questions regarding the process--how did it end up like this.

This is what I last remembered before I lost consciousness, and the story of my near-death experience.

==The ''I'm a High School Boy and a Bestselling Light Novel author, strangled by my female classmate who is my junior and a voice actress'' series by Keiichi Sigsawa==

===[[This_title_is_too_long!:Volume1|Volume 1 - Time to Play - First Half]]===

::*[[This_title_is_too_long!:Volume1_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[This_title_is_too_long!:Volume1_Prologue|Prologue: Memories]]
::*[[This_title_is_too_long!:Volume1_Chapter1|Chapter 1 - April 10, I met her]]
::*[[This_title_is_too_long!:Volume1_Chapter2|Chapter 2 - April 17, She asked me]]
::*[[This_title_is_too_long!:Volume1_Chapter3|Chapter 3 - April 24, I told her]]
::*[[This_title_is_too_long!:Volume1_Chapter4|Chapter 4 - May 1, I taught her]]
::*[[This_title_is_too_long!:Volume1_Afterword|Afterword]]

===Volume 2 - Time to Play - Second Half===

::*[[This_title_is_too_long!:Volume2_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[This_title_is_too_long!:Volume2_Chapter5|Chapter 5 - May 8, I was touched by her]]
::*[[This_title_is_too_long!:Volume2_Chapter6|Chapter 6 - May 15, I was strangled by her]]
::*[[This_title_is_too_long!:Volume2_Chapter7|Chapter 7 - Time to Play]]
::*[[This_title_is_too_long!:Volume2_Epilogue|Epilogue - May 22, I touched her]]
::*[[This_title_is_too_long!:Volume2_Afterword|Afterword]]

===Volume 3 - Time to Pray===

[[Category:Light novel (English)]]

This title is too long!:Volume2 Chapter6

2016-05-30T19:32:55Z

Chocolatkey: /* Chapter 6 - May 15, I was strangled by Her */ corrections

==Chapter 6 - May 15, I was strangled by Her==
I'm a High School Boy and a Bestselling Light Novel author, strangled by my female classmate who is my junior and a voice actress.

This is my current predicament.

I don't feel pain or unbearable, but I'm about to die.

"Save!"

The one yelling that was not me, but Nitadori, strangling me by the neck. This line is terse, yet it sounded so slow and long to me.

However, I can't comprehend what she meant at all.

It was probably 5 seconds since the moment when she choked me. And then, in another 2 seconds, I probably won't be able to think of anything else.

I think the ghost lights are just a self-defense system in the brain now? It probably can help me look for clues in my past experiences to save me, I guess.

I can clearly remember what Nitadori said, but I had no idea.

Anyway, why did Nitadori want to kill me?

I did not know.

I didn't know the reason.

 

Thursday, May 15th.

Time flew by fast, and it has been more than a month since the After Records and the new Semester started.

I was riding that usual Limited Express train, seated at my old seat, the left side seat on the last row in the free seating carriage.

The sky at home is really bright, but the weather report stated that it would be raining in Tokyo, so I had a foldable umbrella in the side pocket of my backpack.

The train departed on time.

After sitting on the same train ride for more than a month, I realized very well that the day got longer. When I stood on the platform on this day, I felt that the sun was rather high up.

There were 13 After Records in all, so tomorrow, it will be the 7th, halfway through.

During the first session, I probably did see Nitadori in the recording room, but I couldn't remember.

During the second session, I met Nitadori on this train for the first time.

From the third to sixth session, we went to Tokyo together for 4 consecutive trips, and I answered a lot of questions.

They included everything, from the delusions I had since young, till the intention I had to write novels.

The struggles before submitting the work to Dengeki Bunko.

The method of writing novels.

Publishing fees and taxes.

So, what will she be asking about today?

I guess I can say everything I can talk about now, right

Thinking about this, I continued to space out, and then, I saw swaying black hair.

 

"Hello, sensei, doing well?"

"I'm fine, thanks. What about you?"

"I'm fine too, thanks."

First, we started off with a conversation even an elementary school kid can translate into English.

"For you, enjoy."

Nitadori, who handed me the shopping bag, is not wearing a skirt, but jeans this time, with a green military jacket and a blue sweater.

Nitadori placed the bag behind her, and placed her jacket on it. Then, she ties her usual long her carefully behind her, letting the hair drape down her right shoulder to her chest before sitting down.

I accept the convenience store bag.

"I'm tucking in. Thanks."

With a rippling sound, I take out the sea salt flavored potato chips and the bottle of tea.

"Thinking about it, I'm seeing your back every day at school, so I know you're pretty lively. I'll probably be seeing the blackboard a little better if you're lethargic."

"I guess."

Nitadori's always sitting behind me every day during class. No matter whether it's the classroom, or anywhere in school, we'll definitely not talk to each other.

There are times when I pass by Nitadori on the corridor, but even after finding her, I won't talk to her.

Thinking about it, I do find this kind of relationship very strange. While I'm thinking about that, Nitadori said the same thing as she sat beside me.

"It's strange...we're seated in front and behind each other, so close together. During the After Record, there's a thick soundproof glass between us, and right now, we're côte à côte..."

She seemed to be rather incredulous too.

And it's a mystery as to why she wouldn't use the common term 'side by side' instead.

The train continues to move forward.

While I'm still chomping on the potato chips, the train conductor arrived early to check the tickets.

The conductor today is the woman I met several times before. She probably has an impression on us taking these sets every Thursday.

After checking the tickets, Miss Conductor proceeded to leave.

"You two are always together--what kind of relationship do you have?"

Miss Conductor never asked such questions. I wonder what should I do if she was to ask, but a conductor wouldn't ask anything regarding a passenger's privacy."

"Now then…"

And then, as before, Nitadori's questioning time was about to begin--

Or so I thought, but I was still hungry, so Nitadori started talking about some harmless weather issues.

According to the weather report, she said, Tokyo's weather was bad, and that when heading to the recording studio the next day, I should be careful not to fall down.

"Erm...can't I skip it?"

I asked as I rolled up the bag of potato chips.

"We're not going to school!"

Nitadori chuckled heartily.

Of course, both of us were merely joking. After Records was not fun and games. We were not having lessons at school, but doing work. We cannot skip work without unless it is a valid reason (some will ask if skipping classes is okay).

In the past, whenever a voice actor isn't around due to illness, the others would act it out and assume he was around. I do find such a scene really intriguing, I do find that it's not conducive.

And during the next week, the voice actor on leave would act alone with a pre-recording.

I do find it tough, and at the same time, I'm moved by their outstanding acting.

 

"Now then, I'll be using this notebook today."

Nitadori's holding the notebook that appeared last week.

I remember what I last talked about last week being about income and taxes. Nitadori didn't open her notebook at all during then.

"You got a lot of questions to ask, I guess?"

I asked.

"Yep. About a certain theme, or I'll say, all kinds of questions. If you want to explain more however, sensei, please go ahead. Also, please forgive me if a question offends you in any way. If it's a question you can't answer due to your work, please tell me straight away 'you shouldn't be asking this question'."

"Got it."

"Now then--"

This time, Nitadori actually opened the notebook.

However, she cautiously made sure not to let me see the words on it, pointing her finger on the pages.

"Erm…"

Does she really need to worry about having so many questions?

I was starting to worry what would have happened if I was to reject the first question? Would it ruin Nitadori's mood? Or would it cause the opposite effect and guilt trip her such that she will shrink back?

What exactly is the problem Nitadori is referring to--

"Erm, this--when publishing a book, you'll sign a contract with the publisher, right? If you have to do so, how will you do it?"

"Phew."

"Why are you relieved?"

"No, well, I'm wondering what should I do if I can't answer the question."

"Ahaha. I guess this question is fine, right?"

"No problems."

"The answer is?"

"Yes."

 

For my situation--I'll sign a 'publishing contract'.

There is a kind of publishing where 4 pieces of A4 size printed paper are stapled on the left side. Of course, this is the style Dengeki Bunko goes with. I don't know what style does the other companies or editorial branches go by.

I showed her a copy of the contract, saying,

"There are all kinds of clauses on it...I did spend all my effort to read them, barely, though I can no longer remember the specifics.--"

I did say during the previous week that 'the first 50 copies printed would be used for promotion, so it is not counted as publishing fee'. This clause itself is clearly written in the contract.

Interestingly, the contract also stated 'when the author buys a book, he gets to enjoy a 20% discount privilege'. Whenever a work was published, I would receive 10 copies, and for every reprint, I would receive another, so I did not use this clause to buy a book.

"Also, you need to fill in your address and name on the actual contract. In this situation, you need to write your actual name, put a stamp on it, and the contract is complete. Of course, the company's name and stamp are on it before then."

The contract included my work of the same series title, so I only did sign one contract.

Before 'Vice Versa' was published, I stamped at the editorial branch. There were 2 copies of the contract, and one of them is left for me to keep.

"I see...the publisher is very thorough in what they do."

Nitadori said, sounding impressed. Thus, I feel that I have to say something.

"Yeah. Also--nobody did sign a contract."

"What?"

"I did sign a contract before I published my work, but--"

 

It was something a senior of mine told me at the end of year party.

We were chatting on this back then, and once I said that I signed a contract before I published my book, that person simply told me.

"Ah, I did sign a contract for my debut work at this time too."

"Eh?"

The reason why I was shocked was that this person had been writing under the Dengeki Bunko brand for a few years.

He had been publishing books for more than 10 years, and that work had been adapted into an anime.

"Eh? In that case, erm...what did that author do over the past 10 years?"

Nitadori asked a sensible question.

"I asked a similar question."

"And then."

"He answered, 'oh, it's always been a verbal agreement'."

"..."

It's no wonder that Nitadori's stunned.

To be honest, I was stunned too, so shocked myself.

It's fine that there's no problems if the money was sent to me, but I really was shocked by such a strange thing done by the publisher since I assumed I had to sign a contract.

There's more to this.

After hearing our conversation, another senior near me agreed, saying,

"Ah, now that you mentioned it, I just signed it recently. I didn't know anything about a publishing contract before this."

And then, another senior author refuted,

"No, wait. I signed it before I debuted though?"

"Me too…"

In other words, there are those who 'signed before they debuted', and 'those that didn't get to sign'. Right when I was wondering why that was the case...I knew my answer.

Those that won prizes with Dengeki Bunko would have signed contracts.

Those that debuted without signing contracts were the ones who did not win prizes, and were nominated instead.

But anyway, since I did sign, I suppose everyone else would have signed as well.

"That's how it goes, I think."

I answered the first question, but I don't know if that is good enough for her reference.

"Now then, the next question is--"

Nitadori opened her notebook.

"What does an author 'confidentiality' include? Voice actors can't reveal things like the work, script and so on, so I guess authors are the same in this sense?"

"Hm."

Luckily, it's another question I can answer.

Perhaps Nitadori chose the easiest questions for me to answer.

Confidentiality--

Strictly put, it seems to refer to 'legal obligation', so I didn't know if there's such a law in the world of authorship.

I'll treat this term as 'until the work is officially published, nobody can reveal what they knower in work to those not involved'.

"The easiest way to understand this is the release date. For example, even when Dengeki Bunko decides on a publication date, nobody can talk about it until the official release. Dengeki Bunko's mail magazine will be the earliest to release the news, about 2 months before the official release date. There are some exceptions though, like an event announcement."

"Then, if you announce on your blog or twitter before then--"

"Of course not."

"Anything else?"

"Like events, signing meets information...ah, and there's something more important."

"What is it?"

"News like an anime or a cross-media work, especially the animation of the work. Most of the announcements will be made at such events, so there is a need for secrecy until then no matter what."

For myself, I had been handling the news of 'Vice Versa' getting animated cautiously. This is because the staff numbers and money involved in such a large planning is much more than the sales of the light novels. If I did not take leave from school, I suppose I would be terrified of letting slip of the news, to a point where I won't tell my mum either.

"I see...so it's kind of similar to being a voice actor too."

Nitadori said, but I feel that voice actors would always have it tougher than authors.

Once they hear the news for auditioning, they would know that the work was to be animated. They would know of it earlier, and also, there isn't just one work for them. Of course, they can't leak the news, so they'll be very cautious to avoid news of it leaking.

Leaving that aside, I continued,

"If I know of another person's information, I can't talk about it either. During the end-of-year party last year, I learned of some things when I was chatting with the senior authors...it's said that those authors with good contacts will know that a certain person's work is going to be animated."

"I see...they're of the same line of work after all."

"No matter whether it's news about others or oneself, we have to deal with it using the usual attitude. Leaving aside my own news, I can't leak anything about the plot of another author's latest volume."

This is also what I heard--

It's said that in the past, the author or illustrator could go to the editorial branch and obtain a new book from Dengeki Bunko before the official release.

The books are released on the 10th every month, but they would be sent to the editorial branch at the end of the previous month. The editorial branch will give 10 copies to the author. It depends on the holiday dates, but they typically send it out on the 29th or the 30th.

So during this time, from the beginning of the month to the 10th, one can see stacks of new books in the editorial branch. Anyone that shows up early for a meeting can pick it up to read.

In the past, as long as anyone requested for it, he can take the book back (it's not considered part of publishing fees, so it's kind of inconvenient for the author). We can't take them now though, as it's a measure to prevent the plot from being leaked.

 

"Personal information is like work information; there's a need to keep it a secret."

I added on.

"Amongst the authors I met at the end-of-year meetings, there's someone who completely hid his identity. There's one who openly revealed his personal information, but never revealed a photo of himself."

"Oh, they're just like you, sensei."

"They're like me. Thus, I have to use the information of others as my own and be thoroughly careful with it. I don't have much chance to reveal about myself, so I'm having it easy."

"You don't manage a blog, Facebook, Twitter or anything like that after all."

I nodded.

I couldn't possibly do such things when I have to keep my identity a secret. No, some people might be able to handle this well, but I can't. I'll definitely mess up somewhere.

Thinking about this, I asked Nitadori about something I was really curious about.

"Speaking of which...Nitadori, do you write a blog or something?"

"Ah, erm...I guess..."

Nitadori seemed a little off from her usual, stammering away.

"I did...think that I should open a blog. Especially since I'm taking the role of a named character for the first time."

"But you haven't?"

"Hm, well...I'm a little scared. But not that I'm scared of writing…it's that I'm scared of those hateful comments."

"Ah, I see."

I understood that feeling very well.

The internet is filled with kind and hateful comments.

And also, the hateful comments are the ones more likely to leave an impression.

"Sensei, will you actually care about the thoughts and ratings on the internet? --Actually, this is something I really want to ask."

"Yes, and no."

"In what sense?"

 

There isn't really any author who doesn't care about the readers' thoughts.

If there is, that person's rather strong.

Including me, authors with published works will care about the thoughts and criticism, very concerned with them, in fact. (Of course, they'll care about their sales volumes.)

In the past, feedback was practically through letters from the readers. Once the works are published, the readers will write to the authors and tell them how they feel.

Thanks to the internet, we're able to know about their thoughts faster than before.

I feel that with the internet community, from anonymous imageboards, personal blogs to Twitter, facebook and other prominent social websites, I'm able to know of the readers' thoughts on the day the books are released.

However, there are good and bad to this.

I never told Nitadori about this. The editorial branch will filter the reader letters, and those slandering letters that would affect an author's confidence will not be sent to the author.

It's different on the internet.

As long as an author looks for it, he'll be able to find unfiltered, belittling remarks.

"Sensei, have you looked at the thoughts regarding your own works?"

The answer is yes. <em>Yeah</em>, I answered briefly.

"Amongst all the works that were released till this point...has anyone said anything bad about your works?"

"Of course. I guess."

<em>Huh?</em> Nitdadori muttered as she tilted her head.

"'I guess'...what do you mean?"

I answered.

"I chose to forget about it."

 

As for who taught me this--

To be honest, I forgot.

Was this something I thought of? Or was it what the editor-in-charge or other editors taught me? Was it a suggestion from another author I met somewhere? Or did I learn it from a book.

But when I looked at the reviews on the internet, surely I would do this.

This was the
<strong>Just read the good comments, forget the bad ones."</strong>

Method.

"So basically...how do you go about doing this?"

Nitadori asked as she brought her face closer.

I answered as I looked aside.

"It's not that hard. First--"

I read all the comments I found on the internet until the very end.

There is kindness on the internet.

No, I feel that there's a lot more cases of kindness compared to malice. This is what I think.

If I look for it, I can find,

<em>"It's interesting."</em>

<em>"Looks fun."</em>

<em>"I want to continue reading."</em>

<em>"The characters are really amazing.."</em>

And so on. These are the kind of comments that praise the work, 'nice work'.

And I'll earnestly accept such praises.

While looking, I would express my thanks, and use this praise as motivation.

Also, I would remember the title of that site.

 

If however,

<em>"What's this? It's so boring."</em>

<em>"Refund me."</em>

<em>"Terrible novel."</em>

Such criticism is written--

If I'm to read such thoughts--

"What will you do?"

"I'll go back immediately."

"Back? Where?"

"To the site praising me."

"Ah!"

Whenever I read the feedback on the internet, I'll always read the ones praising my work.

I'll use that moment to forget all about the comments that belittle and slander my work. I'll alway have the thought that someone is willing to praise my work, and end my collection of feedback.

Even if there are those who feel that I'm despicable, I don't intend to give up on this method.

"I see…"

"I did read this line in a book 'someone may belittle a work, but the author should never apologize'."

"Oh?"

"And on the other hand, I have to say without a care 'it is a pity that it doesn't fit your tastes'. When I first read these words, I really couldn't understand, until I became an author...where I really understood this thinking."

"In other words--"

Nitadori gave me a serious look as she told me,

"You cooked up a 'delicious meal', so you don't have to care about those who didn't like it?"

I nodded firmly.

"Right. That's because I had no choice other than to do that. When I write my work, I find it interesting. I don't intend to submit a meaningless work to the editor-in-charge. Also, I'll listen to the editor-in-charge, and edit the work to make it more interesting."

"Yeah."

"That's how a work is born...so no matter what kind of comments there are, I can't do anything about it. If everyone praises it and say that 'it's nice', I'll be happy. However, I know that things aren't going to be like that. I strongly believe that I can't ignore the thoughts of my supporters just because of the negative criticism. Thus, I won't care about it."

Of course, I do believe that there is 'harsh criticism born out of kindness'.

Like for example 'It'll be better if this part is changed like this'. 'This part isn't well written. Better to rewrite it'. I do feel a few times that 'yeah, this guy's right'.

But even so--

An author can't let himself be dragged along by the views of an outsider.

No matter what anyone else says (except for the editor-in-charge), I'll write based on my own thoughts.

If it sells well, it'll be my victory along with the editor-in-charge, and we'll work hard to create the next work.

If it doesn't sell well, it means that we lost. I'll work hard to make sure the next work sells.

"When seeing and hearing reviews about my work--I always think of the Aesop of 'The Miller, the Boy and the Donkey'."

When was the first time I read that story?

I couldn't recall when it was, but I probably won't ever forget about this in my entire life.

"Erm...what kind of a story is it? I think I heard of it somewhere."

Nitadori asked.

"Well, one day, a Miller and his son went out to sell a donkey--"

There was a passer-by who told them, </em>wouldn't it be easier to ride on a donkey?</em> So the Miller let his son sit on the donkey.

Another person they met then said, <em>the son shouldn't relax, the father should ride on it.</em> So, the father got the son off, and rode on the donkey instead.

And then, they met someone else, who said that the duo could ride. So, they did.

Then, they met another person, who told them the donkey was pitiful to have two people riding on it.

"Ah! Now I remember!-- They then carried the donkey to ease its burden, so they carried it. But the donkey started moving and fell into the river. That's how the story ends, right?"

"Yep yep."

"So it's an Aesop...I didn't know. This story is saying that without any objective viewpoint, you'll be toyed around by everyone, and end up with misfortune, right?"

"Yeah. Also, an author's predicament can be summarized as this story...there's no novel that can satisfy every reader, so as long as someone praises it, the author will stick to the formula--that's a lesson I can go with."

I saw this story somewhere before.

Whenever an author writes, there's a need for something, something other than a computer, pen and research materials.

That's 'self-confidence'.

The self-confidence to believe that I can write.

The self-confidence to believe that I can write interesting novels.

Thus, I'll borrow the power of my supporters.

In other words, I don't need the power of those who don't support me

"The saying goes that humans will improve as long as they're praised. This definitely goes too for authors."

"Not that 'authors are humans too'?"

"Ah...yeah, that too."

 

"I did think of how blessed I am as an author."

I suddenly mentioned something Nitadori never asked about.

And having said that, I thought she would be stunned.

"Well...why's that?"

But Nitadori asked. I answered,

"That's because when I write, I'm able to begin writing, and in writing, i can write novels. I don't have to think of myself as an author, but I was happy to learn that I was able to debut, happy that I was able to get a reprint. Once the work started to sell, and the editor-in-charge told me to write continuations, I was happy. The animation of the story also made me happy."

"...Sensei, looking at you, I understand very well that it's your real emotion, not faked, right?"

"Erm, yeah."

I had no acting skills.

"So tell me--sensei, do you think you're special in any sense?"

Unlike before, it was a sharp, piercing question.

I shook my head.

"No, I think I'm someone with a lot of experience, a rare thing in that."

"Then what kind of person do you think is special?"

"I don't know."

"..."

"I don't think such a person exists, right? Ah, if you say that there's a 'very special' person to anyone, I do know about that, like a lover, a family member, and something like that. In other words--"

Nitadori's giving me an intense stare. She looked serious, but it's a little different from the look she showed during the After Record. Then, she continued to ask, seemingly interrupting me,

"It goes by what that person think, is it?"

Overwhelmed by the pressure,

"Sorta...I guess."

I timidly answered.

 

I looked over at the flowing scenery outside the window, drinking my tea--

I felt that we were going off-topic. What was the question we were talking about anyway?

I wondered.

I capped the plastic bottle as I turned my head to the right, and found Nitadori pondering with a very serious look on her face.

I was worried if I did say something wrong, but in any case, I can't take back what I said. Even if she does ask a similar question again, that's the only way I can answer.

Nitadori turned her face towards me.

She gave a tender look, but the glare behind the glasses was sharp.

"For an author, for every sensei who made their debut till this point, have you encountered any difficulty?"

 

"Difficulty…"

I heard this question, and muttered to myself as I pondered. I had to think of it separately.

"I guess 'difficulties an author would face' is different from 'difficulties I encountered after becoming an author'."

"Then, sensei, please answer according to your decision."

"In that case...I'll first start with difficulties I encountered…"

"Right."

If it's this question, I'm confident enought to conclude.

I answer briefly, without any concern,

"None."

 

"Huh?"

"I didn't really have any particular difficulty."

"Erm...is that true?"

"Erm, well, I did say that I'm a fortunate author. Even if I have to mention any issues I faced, I can't think of any."

"..."

Nitadori remained silent, looking stunned.

<em>"I'm really unfortunate to meet such a frivolous guy. Anyone would have met one or two difficulties at least. Hardships allow a person to grow. You won't grow if you don't face any."</em>

I really hoped that she wouldn't have such thoughts.

But even so, I didn't have any. I got nothing.

"The biggest difficulty I had till this point was in Middle School, the tough process I had until I was able to write. I mentioned it before, and that was before I became an author. I did say that I never had a situation an author fears most, that 'the story isn't used at all'...and I did say that I restrain myself to ignore the harsh reviews on the internet...the volumes I had are selling well...and they're getting adapted into an anime…"

Maybe there are things I can find tough to deal with in such trivial stuff.

For example, like I was harassed by a mean-spirited drunkard on my way to the hotel, or that I spent some time last year focusing on writing novels, and I end up having hip pains at such a young age, and so on.

Even if I wasn't an author, I would be harassed by a drunkard. It'll be another story altogether if there's a special drunkard who specialized in harassing authors (looks like such a story is interesting too).

I adjusted by sitting posture to adapt to the waist pains, and did some sports as well. On mom's recommendation, I went for acupuncture, and for the time being, it's cured.

Thinking about it, I guess there's none.

"E-erm...what kind of difficulties do you think an author would have?"

Nitadori narrowed the focus of her question. This question is within my expectations however.

 

The biggest issue an author would face--

That would be, if I can't write, or that I don't want to write, my life as an author would die.

Without a job, I wouldn't have income, unable to maintain my lifestyle. It's common for an author to lose his job no matter what.

Authors are irreplaceable. Even if there are few exceptions, the works of that author is such that he's the only one capable of writing it.

This was something I saw in a certain essay, and I could already understand that feeling.

"Is that so...it's not strange to be out of a job at any given moment...I guess voice actors are the same in this sense. They're scared because 'there are as many as they want when it comes to replacing them'."

Nitadori lamented.

I once heard that there are many who aimed to be voice actors, and that it's difficult to actually debut, or break from the intense competition.

Compared to the authors who were able to survive, which one is harder?

I don't know, and of course, Nitadori doesn't. I guess nobody knows.

"So you came to high school to study because of this reason, sensei?"

I nodded.

Of course, this was partly due to the objection I had from the people around me, but in the end, I decided to go along with my will. I did once think that 'I might as well not study', but now, I felt great that I didn't give up on my studies.

'Vice Versa' is selling very well now, and I can continue to write, but I don't know when will it stop being a bestseller. Also, I don't know when I won't be able to write.

In that case, I don't think an experience of 'I wrote novels in my teens, and my work was adapted into an anime' would come in handy.

In comparison, I guess scholastic experience of graduating from high school and college, together with what I learned in school would probably be more useful.

Both looked similar, but in fact, they're different. The 'academic history' and 'life experience as a student' is different. If I could only choose one, it'd be the latter, but I wanted both.

"After graduating from high school, I want to study in college, and at the same time, continue writing...finally, I'll choose to work, try looking for other work."

"Then, assuming that your works become more popular, and you write a lot of them, and for example, you earn a few billion Yen, equivalent to the career earnings of a working adult...will you give up on writing?"

"If that...ends up being the case...I guess I won't be able to give up on writing. I'll be relieved that I won't have to worry about my life expenses, able to write the novels I like, so I'll feel really happy, just like I am now."

"I see."

Was it just me? Nitadori looked relieved when she answered. I really couldn't understand what others are thinking.

"I feel that it'll be an idealistic lifestyle for me to be able to live out my life just by writing--nobody knows what is in store in the future. I feel that I have to first seriously consider the situation when I can't write, or don't feel like writing. Because of this, I need to do what I can do right now, and I guess that will be writing and studying."

"I guess--I'll probably do that too."

Nitadori finally chimed in.

The atmosphere just feels depressing for some reason.

Normally, a 17 year old boy and a 16 year old girl wouldn't be talking about such matters, right?

Shouldn't we be talking about topics where we feel hope for the future, happily discussing our future dreams? Not brood over here, wondering what'll happen if we lose our jobs? How do we prepare for our lives? And stuff like that.

No matter good or bad, I do find that we aren't ordinary.

Of course, we aren't special either.

Talk:This title is too long!:Volume2 Chapter5

2016-05-30T19:28:17Z

Chocolatkey:

the "--" marks in the text might need to be changed to "—"
http://www.thepunctuationguide.com/em-dash.html
also applies to other chapters

Talk:This title is too long!:Volume2 Chapter5

2016-05-30T19:27:34Z

Chocolatkey: Created page with "the "--" marks in the text might need to be changed to "—" http://www.thepunctuationguide.com/em-dash.html"

the "--" marks in the text might need to be changed to "—"
http://www.thepunctuationguide.com/em-dash.html

This title is too long!:Volume2 Chapter5

2016-05-30T19:25:26Z

Chocolatkey: /* Volume 2 Chapter 5 - May 8, I was touched by her */ some language and punctuation improvements

==Volume 2 Chapter 5 - May 8, I was touched by her==

I'm a High School Boy and a Bestselling Light Novel author, strangled by my female classmate who is my junior and a voice actress.

This is my current predicament.

She—

Eri Nitadori continued to choke the sides of my carotid pulse with her icy hands.

Her hands were really, really cold. I could feel time from the sides of my neck.

I remained prone on the floor, and Nitadori was crouched on me. The only thing appearing in my sights was her upper body.

That would mean her hands reaching at my neck, her face, and the long black hair draped down the sides like curtains.

The backlight dimmed her teary face. It look really tragic.

Having cried so much, the tears gathered on the inside of her glasses, and slowly rained upon my cheeks. The tears fell gently, wetting my face little by little.

Nitadori opened her mouth, probably trying to say something. Once she was done inhaling, she uttered,

"W—"

It's long,

"h—"

In fact, it's probably rather fast.

"y—"

But I guess it's rather slow to my ears.

Why?

Why did things end up like this?

The ghost lights continued to linger in front of my eyes.

 

May 8, Thursday.

I took the usual Limited Express train from the local station, and sat at the usual seat.

It was the week after Golden Week ended, and the number of passengers riding were obviously fewer than the prior week. I might say it was back to normal.

The weather was clear, but the gusts were strong since morning.

My body shook violently along with the gusts as I waited for the train on the platform. It was said that there were strong winds in Kanto, where I am going to, but I hope the train won't delay because of this.

I hear the announcement in the train before it departed--

I recalled the After Record during the prior week.

 

Last Friday, at the After Record of the 'Vice Versa'.

Nitadori was dressed in plain clothing easy for moving in, and arrived earlier than the editor-in-charge and me, greeting her seniors over and over again.

Then, the recording began.

 

The 5th episode of the anime--

The last battle in the first volume of 'Vice Versa' was about to begin.

The first half of the anime episode was dubbed as 'part A', and Shin knew of Sin's struggles.

Sin would only show his tender side to his little sister Ema. In fact, Sin hated war, but understood that only a crusade could save his country.

And so Shin, who unwittingly knew of this, decided to take Sin's place so that Shin's country would not be 'defeated' in battle.

Shin disguised himself as Sin, and deliberately allowed himself to be captured by Pluto's forces.

In the ancient city where the enemy's main army was stationed, Shin was dragged to Pluto--and easily revealed to be an imposter.

<em>We caught Sin!</em> The subordinates were exuberant, but Pluto retorted,

"You fools! He's just an imposter who really looks alike! Does this guy's eyes look like one of a King?"

Shin nodded,

"I suppose."

And Pluto stood in front of Shin, smiling amicably,

"Well, I do praise you for having the guts to sneak in alone."

"Th-thank you very much! Can I head back now?"

"Sure, I shall send you on your way."

And with that, Pluto personally drew the sword, and sliced Shin apart.

His corpse broke apart.

After that was the commercial.

 

The anime After Record--

Before recording every main segment, they would have rehearsals, (Typically, it would be twice, but if the recording time they arranged for at the studio was insufficient, they would go through with once), actual recording, checks for mistakes, and preview records.

I don't know how it goes for other anime, but this is the case for 'Vice Versa'.

 

The break after Part A's recording was about to end.

They were about to start recording 'Part B'.

At the beginning of part B, Meek finally spoke for the first time.

 

This pretty glasses girl who sits behind me in class, who sat beside me in the train the day prior, and loves horse sashimi--

Had the script in hand, facing the thick soundproof glass, standing in front of the microphone.

Right beside her is a famous male voice actor playing the role of Shin. He's rather handsome, has amazing acting skills, and practically had no NGs in the recording of part A.

I--

And most of the people there realized it.

Nitadori's script was shaking terribly.

 

Of course, the script of paper and ink wouldn't shake on its own.

Nitadori's left hand was shaking slightly.

The left hand wasn't shaking much, but the front end of the script was shaking rather hard.

Nitadori's mouth was opened slightly, and she appeared to be muttering something.

Even the powerful microphone could not pick up on the voice, so I guess she probably was just muttering in her mind. This continued on for a while.

Her hands were shivering, her mouth moving as though she was chanting a spell.

I wondered how nervous Nitadori really was--

I was in a safe zone buffered by a layer of class, and I couldn't comprehend that at all.

It was the first time she was voicing a named character.

The first scene where her character would speak.

And inside this studio, the one who really 'wanted to run away at this moment'--

Was me.

But no matter my thoughts, the monitors everywhere aired the animation.

The production of the anime 'Vice Versa' appeared to have gone really well, and most of the animation was already comparable to the quality of the actual broadcast (though without the voices).

I heard from the editor-in-charge that this was a rare occurrence.

It was said that during the After Record of most anime, the visuals showed--

Would typically be the moments of the characters, uncolored, or hand-drawn manga styled straight from the storyboard.

In such moments, they would use the character names and marks to indicate the moments the voice actors are to speak.

According to an editorial I saw on a magazine, if the anime is complete, it would be much easier for the participating voice actors to follow the expressions of the characters.

 

Part B--

At the beginning of that scene was Meek, pushing a wheelbarrow that contained the severed parts of Shin.

The location was the dark basement of the castle, where nobody else was at.

Meek was obeying her master's orders, silently pushing the wheelbarrow to dump the corpse.

She threw Shin's corpse into an underground drain that acted as the waterway, and there were several ploops heard.

Meek was about to return after she was done with her mission, but she turned around upon hearing water, and found Shin revived--

<strong>"KYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"</strong>

Meek's first line was a shrill, long, long, long scream.

In the novel's narration, I wrote,

<em>"Her scream shook all the stones forming the tunnel"</em>

 

I liked seeing all kinds of animation, and viewed the voice actors as stars.

So, during the 5 weeks I observed the After Record, I was so happy that I forgot I was working, and I enjoyed the actors' performances as much as I could.

The performance of these famous voice actors is really amazing, and I feel really moved every week to be able to personally witness their performance.

And then--

As for that rookie voice actress who is younger than I am, the girl was so nervous, her hand was shivering all this time.

<strong>"KYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"</strong>

Her performance did not move the underground rocks, but instead, moved something deep within my heart.

[[Image:Toolong2021.jpg|thumb]]

I didn't remember exactly when Nitadori's hand stopped shaking.

The shaking of a script couldn't be recorded, so she probably regained her composure before the recording began.

I was completely mesmerized by her vocal performance that was displayed before my eyes.

 

Shin, who was supposed to be a corpse in pieces, revived after his body dipped in the water, and he emerged from it.

<em>Why did he take so long to revive?</em> The readers would often comment when it came to this point. My main focus back then was to express, and back then, I didn't notice this part at all.

Also, since Shin was chopped up, the clothes on his body fell off, so in this scene, Shin was naked.

Stark naked as he stood in front of her.

<strong>"..."</strong>

Meek shrieked, and fell limp on the floor, remaining silently.

Normally, in a novel, this will be passed off as an ellipsis--

But in an anime, a voice actor will use a breath to indicate the reason why a character is remaining silent. In this situation, all Meek felt was fear.

I heard Nitadori's breathing as she shivered due to fear.

<strong>"Arghh! It's cold! I'm freezing!"</strong>

And Shin deliberately said such exaggerated words so that this girl (though she's a homunculus) who's timidly looking up at him wouldn't feel scared.

<strong>"Erm, sorry for scaring you--eh, woah!"</strong>

Then, Shin realized that he was naked, but there was nothing that he could use to cover his body.

<strong>"It's cold!"</strong>

Shin had his back turned on Meek, rubbing his body with both arms.

Till this point, I saw that Shin's crotch was nicely covered by Meek's body or the torch on the wall--

Looks like a little bare butt is okay.

Then, Meek asked,

<strong>"A-are...you not going to kill me?"</strong>

Instead, Shin turned back, asking with a dumbfounded look.

<strong>"Hm? Why?"</strong>

<strong>"I'm your enemy...I intend to kill you."</strong>

Meek slowly stood up, and finished her words.

<strong>"Ah...well, but...I guess that's fine. Go ahead if you want to kill me. That'll be useless though, so I don't really recommend that you do that..."</strong>

<strong>"...?"</strong>

<strong>"Well, I'm immortal...in this world...you can tell, right?"</strong>

Meek stared at Shin for quite a while. The color of the beautiful eyes are different, one wine red, and one yellow, and they are emphasized.

And then, Meek was on the verge of tears saying,

<strong>"If only I can't die...if that happens, I can continue to fight on and protect my master..."</strong>

<strong>"Humans are born, and fated to die. This goes for me too, but my presence here is just an exception...I just came to this world for a little while...I don't have any idea as to how I'm to head back to my own world..."</strong>

And upon hearing Shin's sad reply, Meek's voice became harsher.

<strong>"But I'm not human!"</strong>

<strong>"...?"</strong>

Shin tilted his head.

From here on, Meek let out a long spiel of words.

Meek was smiling, but it was not one of happiness, instead being one born of anguish.

<strong>“I'm a Homunculus, a created being—not a human!”</strong>

<strong>“...”</strong>

<strong>“Please look at these eyes! The left and right eyes are different in color! This is the proof of a homunculus...you probably don't know that, do you? The materials used to create us are gathered from corpses. When we are created, we are granted with only one eye. We are then brought to our masters...and we have a gemstone put inside. That is the other eye. The gem eye is a proof of loyalty, and a symbol of one not being a human!”</strong>

When she rattled off with this long line of words, shown on the screen is a terrifying scene of the 'eye embedding moment'.

It probably would be too grotesque to be shown directly, so the anime displayed it through silhouettes.

<strong>“I'm a homunculus, only to live for my master...”</strong>

Meek's monologue.

She muttered as she slowly put her hands at the back of her waist. Over there were her favorite daggers that were cross sheathed.

A flashback aired, showing Meek's past.

In the visuals, the others showed her some curious stares, looking at her as though she was a monster. In the town, she was scorned mercilessly by the people around her, and occasionally, brutalized without reason.

 

About this part—

Even I thought it was 'too dark'.

The homunculus in 'Vice Versa' were typically unfortunate.

They were born to be slaves, and had to obey their master's orders. Due to their unique eyes, anyone around them would be able to determine who they were, and not think of them as human.

Homunculus had far superior athletic abilities than humans, and if they had that intent, they could easily kill any master who was careless, but they could not do so. That is because their hearts were infused with the order 'to absolutely serve their masters'.

Because of such characteristics, the people who became the masters of the homunculus would typically think of them as 'puppets with a conscience'.

Well, I did write the relationship between Pluto and Meek (This has to do with the fact that Pluto's actually female) as a beautiful relationship between master and servant.

Pluto's personality was that of cruelty and lack of mercy. She viewed all subordinates as equal, be they homunculus or human.

In other words, she would call out to her subordinates however she wanted, and they would do their best to fulfill her orders.

 

Shin heard Meek's words with his butt facing her, and turned around.

Shin really wanted to tell her something, so he forgot that he was completely naked, saying with utter seriousness.

<strong>“Please don't be so frustrated about comparing yourself with other people.You—are you after all.”</strong>

Meek's hands were weakly slumped, not holding anything.

<strong>“...”</strong>

She was viewed as a 'human' for the first time in her life, and widened her heterochromia eyes.

<strong>“Ugh, it's cold...”</strong>

To settle a showdown with Pluto, Shin walked off while feeling really cold.

In the strategy both Shin and Sin came up with, Shin was to create a ruckus, die, and revive, and then die again, causing chaos in the enemy camp. He's the main character, but his actions feels like some zombie or some demon king in a horror flick.

Shin moved on to completely his mission.

<strong>“Wait!”</strong>

Meek called out with a serious voice. It was sudden, and Meek was different from before, not using any formalities. This was the first time Meek spoke like that.

<strong>“...”</strong>

<em>So a fight is inevitable?</em> Shin turned around sadly, but saw Meek take off the muffler on her neck, handing it to him, saying,

<strong>“Please...use this...”</strong>

<strong>“Eh?”</strong>

Shin hesitated for a while, and then smiled,

<strong>“Oh!”</strong>

He immediately beamed, and took the muffler with both hands, but right when he was about to put it on his waist—

<strong>“I guess it has to be like this after all.”</strong>

He wrapped it around his neck.

The protagonist—

Was naked, wearing only a muffler.

 

Of course, I actually wrote the story with this in mind.

In fact, after it was animated, it did look rather hilarious. He really looked like an unabashed pervert there.

Laughter could be heard from the control room.

 

<strong>“Thanks, it's warm.”</strong>

Shin beamed at Meek.

<Strong>“Next, I want some pants...”</strong>

Shin muttered as he began running.

<Strong>“...”</strong>

<em>I let go of Master's enemy. But I've completed the mission of 'dumping off the corpse, and Master never commanded me on what to do after that. But that man's Master's enemy, but he treats me as a person, but—</em>

<Strong>“...”</strong>

Meek was starting to feel conflicted, and she let out some white breath, watching him leave.

Right in front of her eyes was a shaking butt.

 

Nitadori made no mistakes in her lines during the rehearsal.

The sound director gave all kinds of instructors, but as an amateur, I did not know what was the problem.

After some instructions, the sound director asked me,

“Sensei, is there any problem with Meek's parts?”

“None!”

I immediately answered.

After that, everyone made a rehearsal, and the official voice work began—

As for me, all I did was watch and just let myself be moved, shouting in my heart 'wow, it's amazing'.

I suppose that if I had turned around during Nitadori's recital, I would be able to see Nitadori as she was. However, work was different from class after all—

Wondering that, I observed the performance of these professional voice actors.

 

Something else also happened on that day.

It was when the recording ended.

I chatted with the anime makers and the editor-in-charge for a little while, so I left the control room a few minutes later.

I exit the studio lobby, and found the voice actor portraying Shin talking with Nitadori by the wall.

It was a scene of a senior talking to a junior, but Nitadori had her head slightly lowered, and she did not look right.

It might not be an appropriate choice of words, but I had the mental image of 'a handsome voice actor flirting with a female high school girl'.

When this voice actor was confirmed to be playing as Shin, I searched through the internet—

'A handsome guy who has scandals with many voice actress'.

I managed to find a website that contained such rumors, and looked through all of them.

There were many exploits on the website, but I did not know how truthful they might be. Besides, I decided not to believe in internet rumors that easily (if I do, my real identity will probably be 'an experienced female author in her 30s who writes with a different pen name and loves BL works.)

Personally, I don't hate this voice actor.

I think that his voice and acting skills are brilliant, really suited to act as Shin, who starts off timid, only to gradually get stronger.

But when I see him talk with Nitadori happily—

This voice actor just feels like some evil wizard aiming to bring Nitadori to another world I don't know of.

But even so, this isn't something I could gossip about, so it was fine.

I told the editor-in-charge,

“I'll be going first then.”

This was a line that could be used at any given situation, and right when I was about to pass by them,

“Ah, sensei! Please wait!”

The voice actor spoke to me directly. The voice was exactly the same as Shin's, so I thought I entered the world of 'Vice Versa'.

I stopped, turned around, and he asked,

“Yo, what do you think of her performance?”

Her, in this case, would refer to Nitadori. As for performance, it would refer to her acting.

I was surprised, but Nitadori appeared to be more surprised.

“...”

Her eyes were widened more than before, and it felt as though her eyes were about to pop out from her glasses frame.

I merely glanced aside at Nitadori, and immediately turned my glance to the handsome, pristine face of the voice actor.

“Really amazing.”

I answered earnestly, with no sense of pretense at all.

That voice actor isn't a mirror, so I can't tell what sort of face I made back then.

And I don't understand why that voice actor would suddenly smile like that.

“Of course, isn't it? I was telling Nitadori about this.”

But the voice actor then said,

“I do remember that you're 17, sensei?”

I nodded, and he then pointed his palm at Nitadori, saying,

“I heard that she's 16. It's really unbelievable. Both of you are way too young.”

And then, he lamented,

“From now one...it'll be the era of you youngsters...”

No wait. This guy should be 25.

Before I can understand his words while I remain rooted, this voice actor said,

“Nitadori. This sensei will be writing stories that will get animated. I know sensei has that kind of foresight from his scent. All I have are sharp ears, and a decent appearance. In other words, you might be in sensei's care from now on, so you should take the opportunity to shake hands with sensei now, and increase your chances of interacting.”

He said some words I couldn't coment on, and prompted Nitadori to reach her right hand.

Nitadori slowly reached her slender right arm.

“I'm a rookie, and I'll continue to work hard to play as Meek. Please continue to take care of me.”

“...”

After much struggle, I manage to reach out and hold her hand.

Besides, in this life of mine, I have never held a girl's hand before.

“Th-thank you.”

Saying that, I touched Nitadori's hand.

It was really, really—

Cold.

 

And while I was immersed in my thoughts.

"Yahoo!"

Nitadori was seated beside me before I knew it, and we were so close that I could feel her breathing when she greeted me, startling me.

"Woah!"

I let out a strange squeal, twitching my body, and ended up hitting my back against the wall. Nitadori laughed, and asked,

"What language is that?"

"..."

While the train accelerated gradually....

I recalled the sight of that Nitadori last week, and compared it to the her this week. This difference between them really confused me.

No. I do know both of them are Eri Nitadori.

I do understand that the one wandering between different worlds is me.

"Sensei, you're giving a distant look. After you think about anything? Is it about the next work?"

"Well, I guess."

I immediately replied. It was a lie, but the reply was smooth. No, this can't really be considered a lie after all; I can insist that everything I'm thinking is about the plot of my next work. It'll be fine if the topic of my next light novel is 'my classmate is a voice actress'.

"Wow, so cool; just like an author."

"..."

"Eh? Where's the usual reply?"

"...I'm an author after all."

"Good good."

Rather than Nitadori who's using formal language out of respect,

"Hello. Over here! It's Katsudon for today!"

I prefer the Nitadori who hands me the plastic bag filled with potato chips with a smile on her face.

Well, I suppose the term like is mostly a matter of contrast.

I pulled out a bag of salt flavored potato chips and tea groin the bag, and Nitadori said,

"I got a list of questions. Stone I have lots of things to ask, I went ahead to remember."

"It's like a magazine interview, isn't it? To be honest, you really helped me out here. I've been wondering about what I should talk about today?"

"Wow. Thanks for that."

Nitadori took out a little notebook, and opened it.

I had a little glance, and those are some nice words.

"Ah!"

Nitadori hides the questions from me, probably because she doesn't want me to know beforehand.

 

I guess anyone will be hungry at this moment, and I graciously munch on the chips and drank the tea.

I did ask Nitadori if she wanted to have some, but as before, she didn't take one.

I guess it's because it's a gesture to treat me? Or that she's refusing politely because she's worried about looking bad if she's to eat on the train? Or that--she already ate a packet before she boarded?

I don't know her actual intent (I guess I don't have to think about that last guess), but I can't force her to eat. I indulge myself in a third of the packet, tied it up, and drank some tea.

"Now then--fire away with the questions."

And I say this inside this train that's moving on against strong headwinds.

There's about 3 hours till our destination, and I guess we can have a really long conversation here.

"First off, I don't know...actually, I don't know whether I can ask this question…"

It's rare for Nitadori to stammer like this.

"Eh? Erm…"

In case of whatever question it may be, I prepare myself.

Nitadori sounds a little apologetic as she continues,

"Eh, I thought...I shouldn't be asking such questions. But I'm still curious about it no matter how I tell myself this."

What exactly does Nitadori want to know about me? Feeling terrified, I shivered a little--

"Ah."

I immediately thought of a few possibilities. If that's it, I heave a sigh of relief inside.

And then, I asked, just in case,

"Maybe--it's about my earnings?"

"Are you an esper…?"

Nitadori answered in surprise.

"No, I'm an author."

First, I answer that, and then, Am I wrong? I quipped.

Nitadori looked a little embarrassed as she answered,

"That's right...it's about money...I know it's rude manners to ask this question."

And then, she showed me a determined look,

"But since I finally managed to find someone who knows about this, I want to ask if he agrees to it. I feel that in my future life, I won't be able to find anyone willing to answer me such questions."

And while Nitadori's showing such an intense will,

"Yeah, sure."

I promptly answered.

 

The matter of asking someone else about his earnings was truly rude, and even I, a high school boy, know about this.

The following is all off-topic--

In the country of New Zealand, famous for their sheep, one simply does not ask a farm owner how many sheeps they had. That is because it appeared that people could estimate the earnings through the number of sheep they have.

That was a trivia I read in a miscellaneous magazine, and I don't know if it's real or not. However, if I'm to go travelling there, I might try asking such questions, so I think it's better for me to pay attention to this.

Back to the point.

I do know it's rude to ask others of their earnings.

But I also know that there are those driven by curiosity to understand the earnings of the unique jobs.

Since I was young, I too wanted to know about an author's earnings. What did it mean to 'live on royalties', and how much tax to pay.

When I became an author myself, earned the publishing fees and the experiences of declaring my earnings, I gradually began to understand them.

 

About my income--

Obviously, I can't talk about this with people who don't know that I'm an author; if the other party knows that I'm an author, I do feel that I can treat it as a normal conversation.

Leaving aside my mother, till this point, I often discussed this topic bluntly with the senior authors during the refreshments after meetings at the editorial branch, and the end-of-year parties over the past two years.

Of course, we weren't just doing this to satisfy our curiosity.

When my books started to sell well, the senior authors began to tell me about tax reductions.

Some of them blatantly told me of their yearly earnings (as what the words implied, the top selling authors' earnings are really on a different scale from the rest.)

I won't tell anyone of their yearly earnings. At the same time, I don't think Nitadori will let slip whatever I told her.

And besides, I don't think that Nitadori's approaching me for the sake of money.

Or I should say, though it's just a guess--

I get the feeling that Nitadori's family is really rich.

 

Upon hearing my answer,

"Really? About that money…"

The bespectacled Nitadori asked with a worried look on her face.

"Yeah, sure. Well, basically, keep this--"

"I won't say it out! I promise!"

She answered before I can finish my sentence.

Having decided to tell Nitadori, I scanned the train carriage as a precaution.

The train today is rather empty, and only two people are seated at the seats right at the front.

 

An author's earnings.

As anyone would know, an author's earnings is mainly derived by the publication fees of a book.

Also, there appears to be a 'manuscript fee' for publications in a magazine or a newspaper, a 'speaking fee' for speeches, 'source fee' and 'copyright fee' for an anime or movie adaptation, but I never received them.

The anime is yet to be completely made, so I've yet to receive the fees regarding this.

"Because of that, the scale of this will be the publishing fees in this company. Or to be precise, I'll only talk about publishing fees."

"Yep."

"Now then, before I talk about how much the publishing fee is--I'll like to talk about the definition."

"It's a Royalty, no? The publisher will be printing your work in books, sensei, so this money is a 'copyright fee' for you."

"Yep. That's impressive."

"Actually, I did research through the internet when I designed the questions. I did check on why it's called 'publishing fee'! It's not a tax, is it?"

 

As Nitadori had mentioned, the publishing fee isn't a tax.

Back when a publisher printed volumes, they would stick some kind of an author's stamp on the last page called a 'colophon', something called an 'inspection stamp'. (Some do stamp it directly on the book). The publisher will use the number of inspection stamps, and pay the money to authors directly.

This system is similar to 'printing fees', (like giving tax to the author), it is also called 'publication printing fee', and then simplified as 'publication fee'.

On a side note, this 'publication printing fee'--refers to the amount of money to be be paid when producing books. Authors with works in book form are paid according to the 'publication fee' pro-rata to the price plastered on the book.

 

In the end, people gave up on such a troublesome method, and chose not to go with inspection printing, so the method was scrapped.

In books that are slightly older, their back ends will contain the words 'inspection stamp is scrapped'. I did see them in an antiquarian bookshop.

"Well, even if I don't know that kind of history...anyway, the publisher will give the author a royalty known as 'publishing fee'--and the money is pro-rated "

"Uh huh, so how much is it, roughly?"

"Normally, the fee is around 10% or so. My situation is the same, and excluding the sales tax, 10% of the book price will be the publishing fee."

"Always?"

"I don't know if it'll change in the future. Of course, I do hope that it'll increase. I did hear that the rates for those extremely popular authors do increase, but I'm not sure what the actual situation is."

"I get it. Then, I'll use this 10%. In other words, if the book's sold, the fixed rate of 10% will be your earnings, right, sensei?"

Nitadori asked to confirm, but I shook my head.

"No, that's not it."

"Eh?"

 

It was not about 'once the book was sold'.

It was about 'once the book was printed'.

The book would first be printed, and the meaning of that would be equivalent to 'being made into a commercial product'.

And,

"The number of volumes printed will determine the revenue."

"Then, for an extreme example--"

I knew what Nitadori was trying to get at, so I continued from her words, saying,

"Assuming that a book has 100,000 copies printed. The publisher estimates that the book can sell about that much--however, the book couldn't sell after it was printed, and in fact, only 5 copies were sold."

"That's really drastic! That means that he and his family were the only ones who bought that book, right?"

Nitadori giddily grinned as she said that, but after saying those words, I felt a little heartbroken within. How would that author feel? There's a chance that even I may end up like that.

Well, my books are selling well, so I won't mention it for now. I continue on,

"But the author is able to get the publishing fee of 100,000 copies. Assuming that a book is sold for 500 Yen, 10% of that would be 50 Yen, and multiply that by 100,000, that'll be 5,000,000 Yen."

"Eh...I never knew that before. I always thought it was counted based on sales amount."

"Allow me to say that I heard that such a system actually exists. Dengeki Bunko however counts this through printed volumes."

Then, assuming that I get the publication fee that's 10% of the book price.

As the name implied, Dengeki Bunko is a paperback publisher. As for what a paperback is, it'll drag on, so I decided to omit it--anyway, it's a really small book.

The price of a paperback light novel ranges from 500 to 700 Yen. The prices is dependent on several factors, and the easiest to understand will be--

"The book thickness? Number of pages?"

"Of course, I won't know the actual numbers of the prices, pages and volumes. That was what the editor-in-charge told me when I asked him on the pricing."

"So the pricing isn't done by you, the author, sensei?"

I shook my head, saying,

"It's decided by the editorial branch...or rather, the publisher. But as I said, the thinner the book, the cheaper it is. Using the series 'Vice Versa' as an example, the price is typically around 600 pages. Actually, I wanted to make the book cheaper…"

"Eh--why!?"

Nitadori was really surprised.

It's not unreasonable for her to be so shocked. If the book is pricer when sold, the author's income will increase accrordingly.

But even so, I state my actual thoughts.

"Well...it's because the main demographic of light novels are Middle schoolers and high school students, and there are younger kids in elementary school who will read them. I feel that readers do buy the books using their pocket change, so even if it's cheaper by 10 Yen, it'll make them happy."

"Ah...now that you mention it, that's true. The more I like such books, the more I want to look at other works."

A thicker book would have more ample content. Even as an author, I do find it worth it to write it,

However,

"I saved up, and I'm finally able to buy a new volume!"

Even so, when I do receive such comments from a fan younger than me--

I do feel that it's a good thing, even if it's 10 Yen cheaper.

Of course, I hope to attract more people to buy the books with a lower price, and increase the final sales volume (and earnings).

I said before that I do increase the number of paragraphs to improve the readability. Because of that, I do often feel a dilemma.

 

I continue on with the publishing fee.

"The book price is determined by all kinds of factors. The publishing fee is set at 10% pro-rata, and to calculate the earnings, there is one factor left--"

"The volume!"

"Yep."

"But how is the number of volumes set…?"

 

When talking about printing volumes, we'll be talking about income.

For an author, the total income = all the publishing fees receive. It's the same case as with the sheep in New Zealand.

While I intend to explain this, the Train Conductor arrived. It's a man today.

As usual, we show our tickets for him to stamp.

The explanation was paused, and I took a little breather, drinking some tea.

 

The conductor left, and there were no new passengers sitting next to us.

I begin to wonder, how exactly do I begin explaining the printing volumes--

And then, I realized that I had yet to explain what is the printing volume.

"Erm...I've been mentioning this 'printing' volume for a while…"

"Yes."

"The printing volumes can be classified as 'initial printing', 'reprints', and 'total prints'."

"Hmmm?"

Nitadori frowned, looking perplexed.

"I'll explain in order--"

The initial print refers to the number of volumes printed for the first time. If it is a profitable work, like a serialized sequel, there will be more volumes printed in initial print.

The reprint refers to the additional printed volumes due to the printed book being popular.

And as the name implied, the total volumes referred to the total of the initial print and the reprints till this point. However, the total volumes will be classified as 'total volumes for this particular volume, 'total volumes for this particular series', and 'total volumes for this particular author'.

"I see. I often hear reports in the news of 'a certain bestselling novel reaching a million copies, yet the initial print was a few thousands', and such."

"Such books weren't much of a topic, and once they got hot, they were printed over and over again, and it ended up like that. The reprint volumes might even reach a few thousands in an instant."

"So in other words, there's no fixed figures for the initial print volumes and reprint volumes?"

"Right. The initial print is determined by several factors. If it's a popular series by a renowned author, the number of printed volumes will increase."

 

For an author, the more volumes in the initial print, the happier they will be.

There are two reasons for it. First off--

"The more volumes printed, the more copies that can be displayed in the bookshop in one go, and the book will be bought easily."

"A book that's easily bought will be much more likely to be popular."

Another reason was that the publication fee will increase (Of course, this refers to the number of printed volumes.)

"Thus, authors do work hard every day, praying for the initial print numbers to increase."

"Praying is important, since wishes do come true--so, sensei, how many copies of the first volume of 'Vice Versa' was printed?"

 

Leaving aside the number of reprints--

I'll talk about the first printing of volumes.

"The first volume of 'Vice Versa', the initial number of copies was 27,000."

"Is that...a lot? Little, right?"

Nitadori asked. It's a question to be expected.

Anyone unfamiliar with the industry won't have an idea of context with regards to this number. Speaking of which, when the editor-in-charge told me of this figure at first, I too timidly asked the same question.

And the editor-in-charge answered,

<em>"It's about the same as the works of those who won awards in the Dengeki Novel Prize award! You didn't get an award, but the starting speed is the same!"</em>

Nitadori exclaimed happily,

"Amazing! That's decent!"

"Yeah. To be honest, I'm rather happy."

I casually mention about this--but I heard from authors working under other publishers that the number of 27,000 is 'quite a lot'. It's Dengeki Bunko, so they can sell this much.

That author said that his debut work had less than 20,000 copies, and also said that the difference is due to the power of Dengeki Bunko, who had the largest stake in the industry. Of course, I never told Nitadori about any of this.

The factors leading to improved sales after a volume is published is of course down to an author's own ability. He taught me the important logic 'that if a really interesting story is written, it'll be popular'.

Leaving that aside, i continue with my own words.

"And then, 27,000 copies worth of publishing fee entered my pockets. The price of the first volume is 590 Yen."

"In other words…"

Nitadori began to ponder beside me, while I went the old fashioned way of relying on a tool of civilization. I don't have the mental capability to be able to calculate such numbers.

I took out the smartphone from my pocket, unlocked the screen, and activated the calculator.

Then, I quickly tapped in the numbers.

590 * 0.1 * 27,000, so the answer is 1,593,000 (in Yen).

The moment I intended to say this number.

"It's 1,593,000 Yen, isn't it?"

Nitadori simply said.

"Eh?"

I let out a surprised voice, and turned my head to the right.

"Hm? That isn't it?"

Nitadori nonchalantly asked.

"No...that's right."

Nitadori's hands were not holding a cellphone, and her notebook was closed.

Even if she wanted to peek into my smartphone screen, she couldn't. I often had inspiration of creation on the train, so I had a protective film on the screen to prevent people from peeking.

In that case, there's only one possibility.

"Did you just…do a mental sum?"

"Yep?"

"How…?"

"Multiply by 30,000, and I'll get 1,770,000, and then take 10% off."

"Ah, yes, I see…"

Hearing her say this, it seemed calculation wasn't that tough--

No, it's still not easy.

The time she spent doing mental sum is the same as me using a smartphone? How smart is Nitadori exactly?

"Amazing…"

I marvel earnestly, muttering,

"Yep, I feel the same too."

Nitadori then nodded her face and glasses, beaming as she answered,

"Huh?"

"1.5 million is a huge sum."

"Ah, you're referring to that…?"

"Hm?"

 

The train raced forth against the headwinds

Other than the noise outside the train, there was the occasional howling of the winds. Till this point, there were no stalling on the train ride.

Well, I guess that's better than the train flipping around. I just need to reach Tokyo tonight.

"I guess...1.5 million is a large sum…"

I forgot about the 'huge misunderstanding' both Nitadori and I had, and blurted out my real thoughts.

For me, a first year in high school, 1.5 million is really a large sum. Speaking of which, I remembered that when I did the calculations back then, I found the number to be so surreal, I nearly fainted from shock.

<em>"I can buy a car with that!"</em>

I yelled alone in that room.

Even though I did not have a license.

 

Before I continued with the explanation, I thought of something I forgot. It's something pretty minor, but I decided to talk about it for the time being.

"Sorry. There's something I made a mistake about. In fact, I didn't get the publishing fee for 27,000 volumes."

"Eh?"

Nitadori looked more surprised than I thought, so I panicked,

"Ah, no...it's not some serious mistake. It's about 27,000 copies worth! To be precise...I got '26,950 copies' worth of the publication fee."

"Then...where did the 50 copies go to? For the Angels?"

"No...it's not wine."

I didn't know if Nitadori was serious or just joking around, and it didn't matter, but I made a little retort. This 'Angel offering' refers to the evaporated portion of wine when brewing wine using a wooden barrel.

"But both of them might be the same."

"How so?"

"Those 50 books are used as samples. You can think of them as books that can't be sold, so they won't count as part of a publication fee. Of course, I don't know if the other editorial branches do use the same standard."

"I see. So the Angels are the editorial branch!?"

"But, well...it's tough to calculate, so I thought I'll explain this with the 1.5 million Yen calculated from the 27,000 copies."

"Got it!"

 

And thus, that was the first sum of publishing fee I obtained in my life. As for when, and how I obtained this money--

"Of course, it's through a banking transaction. The editor-in-charge asked me for my bank account, and I told him that I didn't have one, so he told me, 'go open one then'. So, I went to a major bank branch to open a bank account. The big sister at the counter taught me a lot of things back then, and asked me 'have you started working part-time'?"

The moment I mentioned this, Nitadori's eyes got sharp, and she quickly changed her tone.

"Hey~that's not some part-time work. This is a professional author debuting at Dengeki Bunko, you know? A respected sensei at work, you know?"

If Nitadori was to accompany me to open the bank account, would she really say such a thing? Just imagining such a scene alone is interesting to me.

"Ahaha--no no, how can I divulge my identity?"

"Ahaha--so, what next?"

 

The first time an unnatural amount of money was suddenly deposited into this account that only had 1,000 Yen was--

The following month after the first volume was sold, the end of September.

Just a little moment before then, I received a postcard from ASCII Media Works.

I flipped the attached part, and found that there was a 'payment slip'.

Recorded on it was the 'title', 'number of revisions', 'account items (publishing fees or draft fees, and so on)', 'summary (number of volumes, money, printing rates),' and all kinds of information.

Of course, it included the sum of money.

"It's the amount just now, right?"

"No, less than that."

"Why?"

"Because there's a need to deduct tax."

 

Once I start getting into details on this, this will get really long, so I simply told her the amount of money I received.

Before the money (publication fee) enters my account, the 'income tax' will be deducted first. This is called 'tax withholding', a tax system the country does to prevent taxpayers from evading tax.

The deductible would differ based on earnings, so I can't generalize this.

That's because the 'tax' will increase based on earnings. The higher the earnings, the higher the tax rates. This is the system they call 'cumulative tax rates'.

"I'll leave aside the difficult part. The income tax will be deducted from the publication fee before it's given to me.So, I have to work hard and report the amount of tax I have to the government...I'll talk about that later."

I think that there's still 'this thing' I have to explain--

For the time being, I continue to explain the earnings of an author.

"Once the tax is deducted, part of the first volume publication fee was transacted into my account successfully, and I felt really happy."

"Congratulations!"

"Th-thank you. But thanks to you, 'Vice Versa' is selling really well, and there was already a reprint at that moment."

"If it's as what you said, it refers to printing more copies, right?"

"Right. The readers will read the books displayed in the shop. When the book is selling well, the bookshop will tell the 'distributor', 'please provide more of this book'."

"'Distributor', as in?"

"Erm...the official name is 'publishing distributor', and it refers to the dealers who provide the flow between the publisher and the bookshop."

"I see."

"Once the distributor receives the orders from the bookshop, it'll request for volumes from the publisher. The publisher will then provide some from its warehouse, and the distributors deliver them to the bookstore."

"I see...so publishers have some level of stock, right? I guess so. It's impossible to print so many books at one go."

"Right. When the orders increase, and the warehouse stock drops, the publisher will then say, 'right, let's print'."

"Righto."

"Of course, the one who decides whether to reprint or not isn't the author, and it's probably not the editorial branch. I'm guessing that it's probably the sales branch."

"I see, I see."

"As for reprint volumes--it'll typically be between 2,000 to 3,000 volumes. That's my personal experience, and from what I hear from the other authors, it's the same."

"2,000 to 3,000. In that case, the amount of publication fee you get--you be from 118,000 to 177,000 Yen."

Mental sums again. This was when I really understood that my brain was wired differently from Nitadori's.

I feel that even if I'm to praise her now, we won't come to a common agreement, so I continue,

"I'm really grateful to be able to get that much money without being able to do anything."

"Yeah. Your commission increase after you finished a job."

I nodded. After earning that money, I really felt that 'reaping without sowing' really fit this situation.

"If the popularity increases, the sales volume will grow, and if the supply isn't enough, they'll print thousands of volumes, no tens of thousands. Erm, well, I…"

"Wow!"

"Well, I guess I shouldn't be 'talking about the future'--"

I used both hands to gesture moving my belongings from my thighs to the outside of the window,

"We'll leave this aside for now..bye bye…"

And Nitadori waved outside, saying that.

 

The first reprint of my first volume of 'Vice Versa' was 3,000 copies.

It was a certain day in August, during what is commonly known as the <em>obon</em>

Mom was working as a nurse, and never had any breaks during <em>obon</em> and the end of year. I was alone at home, writing all day long during the school holidays.

And it was then that the editor-in-charge called me.

<em>"There's a second print ! Congrats!"</em>

The first reprint would be specially denoted as 'second print'.

As for whether it was considered fast or slow, I didn't know

<em>"Thank you very much!"</em>

All I could be confident of was that I was really happy (later, the editor-in-charge told me that there are works who had quicker second prints, mine was rather fast).

And while I was indulging in my delight and intending to hang up,

<em>"So if there are 'any parts that require typographical corrections', please contact me by tomorrow, latest."</em>

The editor-in-charge said.

And so I asked,

<em>"Erm? What is that?"</em>

 

Typographical errors--

"It's a little off from the earnings, but looking at how this is going, I think this is the most suitable moment to do this...can I explain?"

"Of course. Please do."

Typographical errors typically refers to the errors when 'transplanting words'.

In other words, if there are any errors the block aligning workers in charge of typography (the people in charge of aligning blocks, arranging the words), checking on the miscues will be to correct them.

Of course, people nowadays don't use moveable type of printing. Thus, in current situation, mistransplants would refer to the typical 'wrong words'. That is what I mean.

Last week, I mentioned that as an author, I had to check through what I write, and hand them over for the editors and proofreaders to check, and I had to check them again--

But even so, there would still be mistakes.

Basically, this was my own mistake (and nobody else realized it).

There are rare occurrences of the editors making mistakes (and nobody else realizing it). The typos on the content page and the story synopsis would be categorized under this.

"The typos that managed to evade a few eyes and show themselves to the public--will be corrected during the second print, the first reprint. Thus, the editor-in-charge told me that when the second print is decided, he'll ask me to hurry and send over the corrected parts. This is because the publisher wants to hurry with the rerelease and avoid a stockout of goods, missing out on the selling opportunity."

"I see...now I know that book correcting is such a case."

Nitadori looked impressed as she nodded away. I too only knew of such a thing back then.

"After that, what about you, sensei?"

"I was really happy about publishing my first work, and I reread the first volume so that I could write the next volume, but I didn't find any typo errors. So, when I checked each word and sentence---"

"There was none?"

"I found 5 cases of them…"

During the first print of the first volume of 'Vice Versa', I found 5 instances of errors.

There was one case when I missed out a period.

There was once when the furigana of the word 'hem', suso, was written as 'sode' instead.

Ema, who typically addressed herself as 'watashi' in hiragana, addressed herself as 'watashi' in kanji in a certain area.

What was supposed to be typed as 'conquer the world', (seifuku), ended up as 'school uniform the world' (seifuku)

And there was once when Shin and Sin's denotation was completely reversed.

 

"About that last mistake...I thought to myself 'I can't make such a mistake no matter what'...so when I found out about the error, I was really devastated."

The names of Shin and Sin were so similar, it was common to have mistakes in changing text. Speaking of which, it's really troublesome to have to change the text.

Ever since I discovered that mistake, I started activating the function to 'record Japanese characters in the dictionary'. If I type the hiragana 'shi' (し), it'll come out as 'Sin' (シン). In other words,

しんはいつた。

Change→ Shin said.

しはいつた。

Change→ Sin said.

しんはしのむなぐらをつかんだが、しは、だまつてしんをにらみかえすだけだつた。

Change→ Shin grabbed Sin by the collar, but Sin merely looked back at Shin silently.

 

This isn't an error unique to 'Vice Versa'. It was said that the initial print for all volumes will have some form of typo. The reason why people would buy the initial print of the topselling works probably has something to do with this little trivia.

But even so, I want to write a story with no mistakes as much as I can, so the initial print volumes always scare me.

In the 8 volumes that came out later, I did my best to check--but once the official volumes came out, I do find some errors.

"But I've never had the legendary level of typos."

"'Legendary level'? Is there such a thing?"

Nitadori asked in surprise.

"Yeah. There are quite a lot of infamous typo mistakes in history."

I honestly answered.

"Wh-what kind?"

 

I do think that we'll be off topic again--

But I really like the topic of typos, so I'll talk about it. There's still some time until the terminal.

The history of publishing can also be called the history of typos, no doubt about that. I'm still too weak, and right now, I'm working hard to etch out this history.

Amongst them, the one most catchy and deemed to be the world's first typo error is the Bible called the 'Adulterous Bible'.

In this Bible, the one line in Moses' Ten Commandments, 'thou shall not commit adultery, and because of a typo, missed out on the word 'not' that would have a negative connotation.

In other words, the meaning became 'thou shall commit adultery'.

I guess the chances of a typo more ridiculous than this in human history--

I suppose that should be zero.

"..."

Nitadori heard my words, and widened her eyes, her mouth slightly ajar. In other words, she was completely taken aback.

She was looking skeptical as to how could there possibly be such a thing happening in this world, but the fact was that it happened, and I couldn't do anything about it.

There also a appeared a legendary level of typo in Japanese history.

It was due to several errors, but that bug's name has probably been changed forever.

Of course, the name of that bug is called cockroach (Gokiburi).

It was said that its actual name was 'Gokikaburi', but in the first biology encyclopaedia released in the 17th year of the Meiji Era, the name was transcribed as 'Gokiburi' instead.

The book only had a first edition, and no corrections could be made. The later books used this encyclopaedia as a reference, and the name 'gokiburi' became widespread, before it was set stone.

 

"Hey...I don't think it's really possible, but...you aren't just making up a story now, are you? Is this an episode of your creation?"

Nitadori showed a skeptical look from beneath her glasses.

"I'm not making this up."

I waved my hand as I answered.

"Well, let's leave this topic on typos aside for now--"

I used both hands to gesture moving my belongings from my thighs to the outside of the window, throwing out the topic of typos.

"Now that it ends--where have I stopped exactly?"

So many off-topic stuff caused me to wonder where did I stop in my main point.

"About the first volume of 'Vice Versa' having 27,000 copies for the initial print, and another 3,000 immediately afterwards...this part."

Nitadori corrected me.

 

'Vice Versa' really sold well.

By the time the second volume was published in October, the first volume had 3 reprints, and the total sales was more than 40,000.

The initial print volume for the second volume is 27,000 just like before. I heard it's rather amazing that the figures aren't any lesser than the previous volume. Of course, the second volume had a reprint in the month it was sold. The first volume was still reprinting back then.

By the time November came, the total number of distributed volumes, including the first and second volumes, was about 80,000 volumes.

And so, at the end of the year, the amount of money I had in my bank account--

Was about 4 million Yen.

 

"4 million Yen...amazing…"

Nitadori widened her eyes as she said that. I was about as surprised as she was, probably more.

"I never dreamt that my work would sell that well the year I debuted, that I would earn so much money…"

This was in no way a humble brag, but my own honest thoughts.

I'm ashamed of it, but when the first volume was released, I once predicted the sales figures, thinking it would happen.

Assuming that the earnings for the first volume was 1,500,000 Yen, and the initial print of the second volume will be reduced, so I'll calculate it with 1,000,000 Yen. I could earn about 2.5 million yen that year, and to me, that was a lot of money.

"But you're too naive, aren't you?"

Nitadori gave a mischievous snicker. I know that it's an act, but I was still taken aback.

"I-I guess…"

If I actually had a huge sum of 4 million Yen in hand, I'll feel really terrified. Luckily, the money is transacted into the bank account. If a large stack of cash is shown suddenly appears in front of me, I think I might lose it..

"Of course I'm scared, really scared...to be able to use such a large sum of money. I was happy, but that happiness always comes with fear. I get the money, but I do tell myself not to spend it wildly."

"In fact, you never used that money, right? After the tax deducted, you practically saved them all."

"To be honest, I don't need to spend a lot."

"Hey, if you can, do tell me, sensei, what did your mom think of you earning that much. Well...did she say anything?"

Well, I'm able to answer that, so I reply,

"Mom only told me two things."

"What are they?"

"First, 'use the money for yourself'. In other words, I don't need to worry about the house rent, food, and family expenditure. I intended to pay though…"

"So you were rejected by your mother? I think I can understand that. That's a parent's responsibility."

"Hm, maybe…"

About this, the situation might change a little in the future--but I guess it isn't bad to talk about this now.

"And the other?"

"Hm--'don't spend like crazy!'"

"Ahaha, anyone would be told that."

"Yep. Thus, I thought of a few spending rules, printed them out, and stuck it in front of my desk."

"Really? What are they?"

They're simple.

'I can buy the basic stuff for work (stationery, materials)'

'Before buying, I have to consider. Don't buy impulsively. Check the price before buying'.

'With savings, I won't have to worry about the future!'

'Don't carry large sums of cash around!'

'Don't tell anyone else that I'm rich!'

That's basically it.

"I see. Disciplining yourself. That's impressive."

"Even so, I bought a lot of stuff."

I showed off the watch on my left wrist to Nitadori.

"This is the thing I bought with my first paycheck, my memories about 'Vice Versa'. In October, on the year I debuted, I made up the mind to buy it when I returned home from the editorial branch, and I spent 30,000 Yen."

I guess a 30,000 Yen watch might be considered cheap.

But I was wearing a watch I got from my Middle School days, and that's worth 3,000 Yen. The price shot up to 10 times here. On a side note, the scrap on that old watch was about to break, and I was scared of losing it, so I had it as a pocket watch that is hanging in the bathroom.

"No matter how expensive of a watch I'll get in the future, I don't intend to throw this one. Even if it's broken and I can't repair it, I'll put it up in the room."

"Like Meek's muffler…"

Nitadori noted happily. Yep, that's right, I do find it similar.

Shin really treasured the muffler Meek gave him in the first volume, and would always wear it on his neck when the weather was cold.

"Also, I bought that little notebook computer I mentioned before."

I pointed at the rack above me.

My backpack contained the most practical work tool. In fact, the backpack used to hold the stuff was bought using the publication fee too.

"Also, there's also this, though mom was the one who provided the money first."

I took out the smartphone I just used for calculating from my pocket.

"The editor-in-charge told me 'I can't really force you, but you really helped me out by having a smartphone. I can't force you, but you really helped me out'."

"You said it twice!"

"Well, since I had to spend the night in a hotel in Tokyo, it was better for me to have a cellphone...when I was in my first year of High School, I had to head to Tokyo because of many meetings, and I felt a phone was a must, so I got it. The first phone I had was the latest smartphone. I hesitated due to how expensive it was, but with it, I could see maps, check information, and use the tethering function so that my laptop can be connected to the internet anywhere. It's really convenient!"

I excitedly chatted about the cellphone I finally got in my first year of high school.

"Well, but I never actually thought of getting a cellphone before then."

That was a fact.

It seemed mom wanted to buy one for me when I entered high school. To be honest, I didn't really have such a want, and that's because--

"Basically, I didn't think a cellphone is a must. I don't have any friends I can call, and with an internet function, I don't need to have a call function!"

I heartily finished off my words.

"Ahaha…"

In any case, Nitadori laughed.

"Then, are you using it properly as a phone?"

I glance at the smartphone in my hand, answering,

"I am. The numbers in the phone book are increasing."

"Who are they?"

"Other than my mom, everyone related to work."

"You're a high school student!"

Nitadori said happily.

I too do think that this isn't normal, but I don't mind. I do think that adding so many numbers in the phone book is something wonderful.

"Then am I considered 'work related'?"

Nitadori asked, and I nodded, answering,

"Of course."

In any case, she is Meek's voice actress.

Unlike a novel, an anime needs the collective work of many to be completed. They're people involved with the important work, and in a certain sense, 'partners'.

"Then--"

Nitadori spoke up.

"That's why--"

But it was wiped out by my words.

"Ah, please continue."

Nitadori allowed me to go first, so I was feeling embarrassed as I continued.

But even so, it's too difficult for me to talk while looking at Nitadori's face all the time. Thus, I look at the backrest of the front seat, saying my true thoughts.

"I really want to thank all the people involved in the production of the anime, and the voice actors."

"..."

"As long as I can help, I'll do so."

"..."

"If everyone involved in the anime can feel blessed, I'll be really happy."

Having said what I wanted to say, I glanced to the right.

"..."

What was that?

Nitadori looked a little forlorn.

I didn't know the reason at all, but I knew this topic was inappropriate.

I slipped the smartphone into my pocket.

 

"Now then, where did I end at…?"

From the topic that was way off point, I proceeded to drag us back to the main point.

"Right! SInce we talked about earnings, we'll have to talk about 'tax reporting."

The moment I said this, Nitadori raised her right index finger, practically saying <em>I know'!</em>

"I think I heard of it! Like a blue form, red form or something."

"Right--but there's no red form actually. There's only a blue form and a white form."

"Is ? Is that so? I thought there'll be a red form when the figures are in a deficit?"

Nitadori said with a serious look.

I didn't know if she was really mistaken, or just joking around.

In other words, I didn't know whether it was an ominous omen, or an act--

I guess I shouldn't mention this to Nitadori.

I continued to explain.

"I earned 4 million Yen in my first year as an author, and I had to file my tax in the following year, from February to March."

"I did hear of the term tax filing, but basically, what do I do? Speaking of which, what does it mean?"

"Basically, it means 'determining how much money you earned, and reporting it to the country'."

"I see, so tax filing...but for what purpose?"

"There are two answers to this. Why does the country need people to file their tax, and why I have to file my taxes."

"Then...the country part first."

"That's because the country needs to collect taxes. If the people don't report honestly, the country won't know how much to deduct, how much tax to collect."

"I see...then, what about you, sensei?"

"To get some tax rebates."

"Hm?

 

I didn't explain it before. As the term implied, the income tax had something to do with the word 'income'.

The income would refer to the earned money ('sales money') deducted by the necessary fees ('expenses').

"I did mention that the publisher would deduct the income tax before sending it to me, right?"

"Yep."

"That's directly deducted from the sales amount, and has nothing to do with the expenses."

"Ah, I see…"

"Thus, I'll report to the country saying that 'I spent this much, so this is my actual income, and I had too much income tax deducted', and ask the country to return me some of the income tax I paid. Well, this is the reason for me to report tax."

"I see...then, what do your expenses contain?"

"FIrst off, the necessities needed for writing. Back then, it'll be pens and composition paper, but right now, it's computer and printer and so on."

"And the rest?"

"I think the more well known ones are probably information, book fees. Movies are considered information too, so I have to include DVD fees. I I want something actual when referencing a work, that thing will become information too. Also...there's the fees for phone and internet, the transportation fees to head to and back from the editorial branch, and if there are travel fees for material gathering--"

I raised each point I thought of, and Nitadori continued to nod in response.

"House rent and utilities are to be considered, but they're used for daily living, I can't get a full rebate. I need to explain how much was used for work, and report that part. And so I did."

There are many other examples, but I decided to state to this point.

"When filing my taxes, I'll fill in anything I think of as expenses in the form, and submit it."

Nitadori showed a serious look as she heard my explanation. I once read in a book that 'if a student is very outstanding, the teacher will be very motivated to teach'. Right now, I'm really feeling it.

This outstanding student asked,

"But sensei, when calculating and explaining how much tax to pay, you have to prepare some 'receipts', right?"

"Right. Thus, when I buy something, I'll ask for a receipt no matter what, and keep it."

'Anyone working in the book industry has to keep receipts!'--having learned of this in a essay from the past, from the day I first submitted my draft I would keep receipts whenever I bought anything. I would first keep my receipts in my wallet, and once I got home, throw them all into a large transparent box.

But when doing that, once I started to actually account, I had to sort out a large number of receipts.

In other words, I had to sort them out by material information, transport fees, and so on. This work is really tedious.

Thus, nowadays, I'll use a multi-layered document case. I'll write out the accounting item on every drawer, and after drawing out my receipts from my wallet, I could sort them out into the respective drawers.

 

I did check on the internet on ways to file taxes,

And I learned that there was two of them.

One of them was the very simple process 'white form'.

The other was the 'bue form'. The process was a little more complicated, but there would be more privileges to be enjoyed, tax rebates to be obtained.

I heard that when the sum was not too big, simply taking the white form would be good enough, so i did so.

The information to be prepared would be the accounting items, and separately calculate the receipts in a statement. In other words,

"This is how much money I used."

A form to explain this. I used a calculating software on the computer to come up with this. It sounds simple, but sorting out the receipts and entering the numbers take quite a lot of time.

I took this information, complied the receipts, the pay slips provided by ASCII Media Works (at this moment, I'll receive a statement for the entire year), and a stamp, and head to the tax department.

"Is it hard to do?"

"In fact, it wasn't that hard. I just needed to follow the instructions of the uncle, fill in the particulars, and it was done quickly."

"And then...what happens next?"

"They thought that 'I paid too much income tax', and gave me my money in the form of 'tax rebate'. A few days later, that sum of money, not small in itself, would be transacted to my account."

"I see."

"I can put it so lightly right now. But in fact, I had to search everything out by myself, so I really went through a lot of trouble...to be honest, this is the most troublesome thing to me after I became an author."

"But if that's last February, you reported your tax this year, didn't you? Your earnings this year."

I nodded.

"I won't ask about the income...but it's probably increasing, isn't it?"

 

That's right.

The income I had last year--was shocking over 18 million Yen.

The reprint of the 1st and 2nd volumes, combined with the initial prints and reprints of the 3rd to 7th volume, brings the total to 300,000 Yen.

I started to wondered the meaning of the words Nitadori said 'I won't ask about the money'.

Would that refer to 'it's rude to continue asking, so I won't ask, and you don't have to answer'? Or 'I won't ask, so please tell me'?

I gulped the tea, pondering.

I could tell her, but I didn't hope that she thinks I'm bragging.

But even so, I've already mentioned my earnings for the first year, and she probably can imagine that the next earning will be far more than the first year.

What do I do? What do I do?

Just when I was feeling frustrated,

"Well, for example, if the earnings are about 18 million Yen...."

I could hear Nitadori's voie.

"Eh?"

"So how much will the tax be? The tax rates will increase greatly, right?"

"...How do you know?"

"Eh? How what?"

"Eh? Yearly earnings…"

"Ah, ahh, I got it correct!?"

Nitadori looked delighted yet embarrassed.

"Right on point. I'm wondering how did you get the figure…."

"Well...the anime announcement was made this January, right?"

I nodded.

"Back then, there was a lot of news on the media saying 'a popular work that has sold more than 450,000 books', right?"

I nodded.

"The first year has 80,000 copies, and at that moment, it was 450,000 copies, so deducting that will give me 370,000 copies. In the world of advertisements however, such a number--"

"Right, they'll make a 'rough estimate' (Kiriyoku)."

"''Kiriyoku'?"

"Yeah, it means that they'll use a slightly big number during release to get people to easily understand--"

"Yeah, that's it! So I used 350,000 copies to count, and got 18,000,000 Yen."

"I see…"

This little deduction really surprised me, but it removed any of my troubles. She really helped me out.

"Right. I earned that much money, and I had to handle a second tax."

 

That happened just 3 months ago.

It was the second time I had to do my taxes, but I don't want to spend an entire day doing so. If I have that sort of time, I want to use it to write a novel.

I was about to start school again, and my time to spend entire days writing was about to come to an end.

So I left it to a pro.

 

"A pro?"

"Accountant."

"Ahh."

"Actually, there are two differences between the first time last year and the second time this year."

"One of them is that you hired an accountant. What is the other?"

"Well, I switched to a blue form."

"It's here! The blue form!"

Nitadori squealed excitedly, and then tilted her head, saying,

"--erm, what does that mean? What is the difference from the white form?"

"Well, when using the blue form to report, you need documents that are more detailed. Thus, it's hard to hide the money flow, and of course, harder to evade tax."

But even so, everyone will choose the white form if I say this, so there are many privileges earned when reporting with a blue form.

That would be the unique privilege of 'tax reduction'. This reduction would be 'cutting off'. The blue form reporting had privilege function to deduct the sum of money to be taxed, and of course, the tax will be lesser.

Also, another important thing is that if anyone wished to report using the blue form, there is a need to request 'I'm using a blue form' a year prior. I did so when I was reporting using the white form.

 

Having talked for so long, I felt thirsty, and Nitadori too was the same, so we drank our bottles of tea.

Both of us lifted our bottles in unison, let the tea flow in, and put down the bottles in unison, it looked as though we were doing ballet.

Because of this, Nitadori was smiling at me--

I was stunned. I did not know what sort of face to show.

I should not be simply answering questions, even if it is a lie or an act, I should at least say something empathetic.

My face sullened, and Nitadori beamed, asking me,

"Is it nice?"

I honestly answered,

"Really nice."

"Great."

 

Having decided on blue form report, and to ask an accountant to handle it--

"Now then, I'll explain what I had to do in detail."

"Yep."

"I submitted a lot of documents. That's all. I submitted all my paypals, a photocopy of my passbook, and as proof that I paid, I had to prepare a whole list of receipts for all categories."

"So, will the accountant be in charge of counting the receipts, filing the documents, and everything?"

"Right. It's really easy...of course, I'll pay appropriate. It'll be more expensive to just throw everything to him and let him handle. If I'm to sort out the accounting items and calculate before sending the data over, the fees will be cheaper."

"I see."

"However, the fees here can be counted as 'expense'. Comparing the money I pay to get the accountant to handle this, and the time I spend...I guess looking at the results, I think it'll be cheaper to leave it to him. Of course, that goes different for those 'I have time, I know what to do, so I'll handle this myself!'."

 

Authors earn through the publication fees.

The publication fees will first be taxed before it enters the account.

And through reporting tax, tax rebates on excessive tax is earned.

This is where my explanation ends.

"I said a few times before that the me back then wasn't very familiar with this. I was practically wandering around in the darkness, dealing with everything."

"But the editorial branch tell you anything about this?"

Nitadori said it as a matter of fact--

"Nope, they didn't."

I shook my head.

"Really?"

"The editorial branch has no duty to explain that much to me...speaking of which, they probably don't know that much either."

"Then?"

"Authors can only increase their own knowledge. The only ones capable of helping me out at this point...are the senior authors."

 

Looking my situation, I practically had no assistance before I submitted the white form. That was because I did not know any other authors. Even the request for a blue form was something I found out for myself.

However, it was a certain senior author who told me 'just hire an accountant'.

I had the same meeting times as him, so we do meet at the editorial branch from time to time. I practically read through all his works, and I was really honored to meet him.

After that, the editor-in-charge brought me out to eat.

Whenever the editor-in-charge had time and arranged for other authors to meet, he'll invite parties to gather in a mea organized by the editorial branch, a party.

The location was at 'Kagurazaka' near the editorial branch. I think I heard of this place before. This place had some of the old houses from before, and also a lot of posh restaurants.

I'm really happy that the editorial branch is willing to allow us to enjoy such delicious food in such a posh restaurant. Of course, I don't drink.

While we gather, I talked in depth about my things with that senior author.

That author knew that my work was selling well, and he told me in depth about the blue form reporting. He also introduced me to an accountant him and his author friends really trusted, and really helped me.

 

Now, having finished everything about tax filing--

There was almost 15 minutes till the terminal.

Nitadori asked me the time, and I answered as I showed my watch.

"Now then, the remaining time is short, so I'll ask anything else next week. Thanks for this week too. It's really interesting."

"No problems."

I recalled that she did say something like that the previous week.

Back then, I talked about reading the fan letters to pass time back then. Will she ask about it this one? I think answering questions would be easier for me.

While I thought of that, Nitadori said,

"Sensei...I got a question."

"Go ahead."

Thinking that it was easier for me, I answered,

"Erm...what do you think of my performance last week?"

She asked something I could not answer easily.

She asked me that seriously, staring at me intently.

Obviously, I looked flustered.

"Ah...it's fine, you don't have to force yourself…"

Nitadori said dejectedly.

"Erm, if I have to say my personal thoughts--"

Hearing my words, Nitadori turned her glasses towards me.

In such situations, I won't lie. I'll just say my actual thoughts honestly.

"Wh-what is it?"

"The participating voice actors really performed marvellously before my eyes. Shin, Sin, Ema, Pluto, Meek and the others, it felt like they came to life."

I did my best to answer.

"...Tha-thank--thank you very much!"

Nitadori thanked me. Again, I honestly stated my points.

"But...actually, I did say that once the After Record ended."

"Erm, but, well...the others are there, so I thought that it was that occasion…"

Nitadori said, looking somewhat bashful.

"I'm not that good at faking it."

Personally, I can't act. The moment I finished, I realized something I was curious with, and took the initiative to ask Nitadori,

"Oh yeah, can I ask you a question…"

"Go ahead, go ahead!"

She beamed happily in agreement, and so, I raised my doubt.

"Nitadori--when did you start acting?"

 

"..."

Seeing her look so flabbergasted, I was wondering if I asked something I should not have.

After thinking about it 3 times, I did not think there was anything strange about it.

Soon after, I thought that she did not know what I was referring to,

"Erm...after you read' Momotarou', when you heard the questions from everyone in class, I think I overheard a conversation--that you were participating in a drama club in your previous school…"

"Ah! Ahh! Erm! Right! That's it, you mean?"

I didn't know--what was Nitadori mistaken about, but it appeared to be settled. The blank look she showed started to move.

"Right! I was in a drama club. I thought what you meant when you mentioned 'acting'."

I see, so that's how it is. I asked the wrong question. Should have asked 'when did she start acting'.

"Sorry...I might have phrased it wrongly. Also, I overheard your conversation, it seems. Sorry."

"It's fine! I understand! About that drama club, isn't it? Well, please don't think that you're eavesdropping. You're seated in front of me, and it's weird if you can't hear. I was answering to everyone else after all."

Nitadori spoke with her usual tone, and then answered my initial question,

"I did learn a little when I was in elementary school, and I began studying it for real in middle school, for 3 straight years, until I transferred to this high school."

In that case, she studied this for at least 4 years. No wonder the acting's really good. Of course, I don't think that alone would make her a good voice actress however; I'm guessing that she had all kinds of other training too.

"I've been studying in an international school all this while."

Nitadori informed me of this, and I thoroughly understood why she was so proficient in English.

"The drama teacher back then--"

She continued to chirp happily,

"Would say to us happily before teaching us, "Everyone, transform yourself into someone else! You can be anyone!'"

"Was that in English?"

"Of course."

I started to have a mental image of a foreigner teacher called Mister John or a Miss Jeanne happily chatting in front of everyone. I don't know English, so when the teacher's speaking in English, there was subtitles.

Nitadori in 7th grade was among the students, and her appearance is the same as she is now, other than her being a little shorter. She has long black hair, and spectacles on.

"She's a nice teacher...she said 'alright, time for acting'--"

So it's Miss Jeanne.

"To me, that's like a transformation spell…"

I felt that something was amiss.

And then, I immediately realized the reason.

When speaking to me, Nitadori would look at me in the eyes.

This probably was because she was the one raising the questions, that she would abide by the etiquette when talking with people, and look at me in the eyes.

I would be flustered by it, unable to stare at a cute girl throughout as I continue talking with her.

Thus, I avoided it many times. I kept feeling Nitadori's eyes as I either looked at the backrest of the seat in front of me, or at my knees.

But this Nitadori was different.

Nitadori did not look at me.

Feeling amiss, I stared at Nitadori, but she wasn't looking at me.

Her eyes were looking at her intertwined fingertips.

"It was the same during the After Record. I would mutter this quietly in my heart."

I recalled her trembling lips that shivered with the script.

"Ah! That was!"

I could not help but blurt out."

"Eh?"

Nitadori finally looked at me, her eyes looking over her shoulder.

"That moment...as in?"

She looked at me skeptically. Imprisoned by this stare, I answered.

"It was during the After Record last week...when you were to appear on the B scene, I saw you muttering something, Nitadori."

"Wah! It's embarrassing...I'm found out!"

There was no pretense in her words, but her face really went red, and she cupped her head.

"I always did such a thing before recording...wahh, it's really embarrassing…"

I see. So she did so every time, and nobody realized it?

"Hii…"

She continued to groan. This might be the first time I found Nitadori to be a year younger than me.

Seeing her look so cute, I asked

"That was in English, right? What were you muttering about?"

Nitadori suddenly lifted her head at me,

"It's time to play!"

She answered with fluency. Her enunciation and accent was just like a foreigner.

"It's, time--to, play…"

I quietly repeated in Japanese enunciation.

I was not proficient in English, but I would pay attention to class.

So, I think I can understand that level of English, anyway.

Of course, the 'play' here isn't about 'playing games', but 'play acting'.

"I cut off the 'it's', so the little spell I mutter is--'time to play'.

"Time to play…"

"Alright, it's time to act! Come on, everyone, break away from yourself and be someone else. I'm going to become someone else now. Time to play, time to play."

[[Image:Toolong2091.jpg|thumb]]

"I see, so you can transform into anyone else when acting?"

"Yep. You can become anyone. Anyone can do it, and so can you, sensei. Want to try?"

"Me? Erm…"

Time to play.

I muttered these words in my head.

<em>I guess it's impossible for me,</em> I immediately thought.

I'm an author, I write novels.

I can think of fake worlds, write fake conversations.

But I can't act. I can't handle fake conversation.

Right when I was wondering how to explain this to Nitadori--

The train began to broadcast an announcement indicating the impending arrival at the terminal.

So in the end, I missed out on the chance to tell her.

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This title is too long!:Volume1 Chapter4

2015-09-18T15:10:50Z

Chocolatkey: /* ‎Chapter 4 - May 1, I taught her */

==‎Chapter 4 - May 1, I taught her==

‎I'm a High School Boy and a Bestselling Light Novel author, strangled by my female classmate who is my junior and a voice actress.

This is my current predicament.

The 'near-death experience' referred to the swirling lights that could cause movie film to move.

Modern people would use such an expression 'a fatal near-death experience', and some would even shorten it to describe the moment 'when people continued to recall the past before they died'.

I once read it in the books.

People would quickly see their past memories before they died.

It was said to be because the mind was searching for a certain something at full speed.

Seeking for a clue to escape the crisis from their past experiences.

Thus, I vividly recalled the past.

Recalling everything that happened from the first time I met her, till this point.

 

May had arrived.

The first week was commonly dubbed as 'Golden Week', but this day and the day after were still normal days. I had to attend classes today and visit the After Record tomorrow.

After school, I changed from my uniform into plain clothes, and got on the same Limited Express train as usual.

The passengers on this day were a lot more than the previous week. It's Golden Week, and there are many dressed up for hiking.

Having already anticipated this, I queued earlier than usual, and managed to secure the usual seat right at the back, placing the luggage right beside it.

There was still some time until the train departed. I wondered if Nitadori would wait till the train departed before coming over as per usual, so I continued to wait leisurely, without any worry.

A few days ago, I realized,

Did Nitadori deliberately wait until the last moment to arrive at the platform, and came in from the other carriages?

This station was a little distant from school, but there were still students who would head to school from there. If any particular person was to see Nitadori and me walking side by side with each other at the platform,

"What are these two doing?"

There surely would be such rumors. As both of us would take leaves every Friday, I didn't have belief that I could fool others if I was to be questioned.

And if she really did put in such thought—

I surely would have to thank Nitadori here.

 

I suppose it was because of my manly plea that she did not choose 'Vice Versa'.

What did she choose then? Surely there wasn't anyone who didn't know what it was. The answer's 'Momotaro'.

She brought a picture book directed for children,

"A long, long time ago, at a certain place (in a galaxy far, far away)—"

And recited from the beginning.

It really was a 'professional prank'.

[[File:Toolong016.jpg|thumb]]

With much poise and care, she narrated the text. Her voice was ostensibly a textbook example, each word spoken with such clarity there was no way any word could have been mistaken.

The lines themselves were really exciting. Nitadori showcased all her acting talents, not withholding anything at all, using different voices for the old granny, the old grandpa, Momotaro, the dog, monkey, pheasant and the demons.

I was looking forward, so I really couldn't see her, but she probably was acting with her entire body like what professional voice actors will do. I could see my classmates look on, completely flabbergasted.

"Congratulations, congratulations."

Eri Nitadori's solo performance ended after 6 minutes and 34 seconds.

For us, who did not pay a single cent hearing this, we were first stunned momentarily, and then we applauded.

The teacher praised her exuberantly with grandeur words, and simply continued,

"Now then, the next one will be Suzuki, and after that Hisakawa."

That Suzuki who'll be following up after Nitadori really is very pitiful here. As for who that Suzuki, I don't even remember how he looks like now.

After class, the girls were gathered around Nitadori; some boys joined in too.

I decided to get up a little later for a stroll.

Many of my classmates were hailing Nitadori for how amazing she was,

"Have you acted before?"

Someone posed Nitadori this question, and she answered,

"Actually, I did join the drama club in my previous school, and I really put in a lot of effort practicing my recital acting. The teacher was strict, but I did recite the story very well today, so I wonder if he'll praise me."

"Eh?" "Oo" I heard such voices. Now that she mentioned it, I recalled her specifically stating in her self-introduction that she transferred in from the previous year. I had no idea exactly where she was prior to that.

"Aren't you going to join the drama club?"

A certain male classmate asked that.

Anyone would have thought about that—if they didn't know about her job at that moment.

"I decided not to join a club due to various reasons."

Nitadori replied with an answer that could barely be considered one.

While I intended to stop eavesdropping and get up,

"Why aren't you around on Fridays? Is it related to the various reasons you mentioned?"

A certain girl, poor in comprehending the mood, asked without holding back. Hearing her tone, I suppose there was no malice at all.

"No, that's not it."

Nitadori responded curtly,

"Then what it is?"

And that girl pressed on with the question.

"Erm..."

She let out a slightly perturbed voice.

There's another classmate who's definitely never around on Friday here, but it seemed that classmate wasn't being noticed in any way. My presence is so small it's shocking, and only in this situation did it help me out here.

But I was still worried if I would end up distracting her. I missed the opportunity to leave while pondering if I should quickly leave my seat.

At this moment, it'll be worse for us if I'm to slip off here. While pondering over what I should be doing at this moment, Nitadori said,

"My dad's currently living alone in Japan, due to busy work, and not because my parents are talking about divorce here, you know?"

That was the first time I heard of such matters.

But even so, I practically knew nothing about her.

"But I can only meet him in Tokyo on Friday, so I have to do so even if I have to take leaves from school. That's how it is."

Of course, all that has to be a lie. Her tone however was so overly natural and fluent, even I was about to blurt out, <em>I see, so that's how it is</em>, and believe her here.

As for the other classmates' reactions.

"Eh?"

"So that's why!"

"I see."

Hearing their reactions, I knew that they bought the story,

The acting skills of a professional voice actor's really amazing.

Feeling relieved, I went out for a stroll.

 

While strolling, I wondered.

Nitadori lied saying that she would head to Tokyo to spend Fridays with her family, and in fact, she went for her after record. She could have met her father after the after record was done, but that definitely was not the main reason.

Now then, what was that 'my parents are living separately' thing she just mentioned here?

I believed her completely when she said that. What happened on Friday however made me feel that she could be lying for the sake of it.

Nitadori's acting skills differed from any ordinary person. I couldn't determine the validity from her words.

In other words,

I knew nothing about Eri Nitadori other than she's 'the voice actress portraying Meek, and my classmate who's a year younger than me'.

Once I thought that much, my bad habit would kick in.

This bad habit here would refer to the 'delusional' habit, which I'm using as my money tree.

 

Who exactly was Nitadori?

Her relatives live in Japan, and she coincidentally takes the same ride as me because she wants to know about an author, and thought of all the questions to ask me. Was it all a lie?

Perhaps—

Perhaps Nitadori's a professional killer?

She has her sights on me, ready to kill me with a given chance. She plotted behind the scenes and became a voice actress, obtained a role, learned of my true identity, and joined my class?

That was not a coincidence, but something to be expected, right?

The reason why she asked me all these questions is that she wanted to know more about her target before taking action, right?

In that case, isn't it dangerous for me to turn my back on her?

 

“Wahahaha!”

A single boy suddenly began to laugh at himself, and two girls standing nearby, probably 1st years, immediately scampered helter-skelter.

Sorry to terrify both of you like that.

But that utterly foolish delusion I had was so interesting it made me laugh.

She intends to kill me if there's a chance?

I ate so much of the sea salt potato chips she provided, and even drank some tea.

If she really intended to kill me, I would have been dead 2, 3 times.

It's dangerous for me to turn my back on her?

I spent hours with my back facing her from Monday to Thursday.

The time she spent seeing my back was a lot longer than when I saw her.

 

The train began to rush.

The carriage became somewhat packed as the passengers were either headed out or home, and it became bustling.

During this situation, Nitadori came from the carriage behind, saying,

“It's been a week, sensei. There's a lot of people today. Thanks for reserving a seat for me.”

With one hand, she held onto the handle of the luggage bag she always used; in the other, she held out the bait meant for me, as usual.

“Here. This is the thanks for today.”

I took in the bag from the convenience store,

“Sorry for always,”

And answered in an old-fashioned manner.

Nitadori placed her bag behind her seat, tidied her hair, and sat down.

“Didn't we say not to mention that?”

And again, she showed me a pretty smiling face on this day.

 

These snacks were really a relief to me, typically hungry at this time.

Actually, I would eat 2 pieces of toast before heading out every week. But as I'm in my puberty, I would gladly accept any food that appeared in front of him.

After guzzling down a third of the potato chips, I drank some tea.

“What shall I talk about today?”

I then turn to the seat on the right to ask. Even I too was a little surprised that I ended up initiating the topic so easily.

Nitadori immediately answered,

“I want to know how to write a novel?”

“What do you mean?”

This question's a little too vague, so I asked.

“Well...sensei, didn't you say 'I'll tell you about writing a novel next time'? I want to know how to do that, the specifics of writing a novel. For someone who never wrote a novel like me, I didn't know how to write such a novel.”

“I see...so we're going upstate in such a state?”

I muttered out my true thoughts.

“What?”

Nitadori tilted her head, asking,

“Ah, sorry. Just a simple word pun. Maybe you'll understand looking at the words.”

“...Oh!! You're like an author to be able to come up with such words on the fly.”

“Because I am an author.”

I ended up saying these words again this week.

Nitadori quickly adjusted her glasses with her right hand,

“Now then, please explain how a professional author begins to write.”

“Okay then...”

To be honest, I only entered the profession for 2 years, and the term 'professional author' really was very discomforting to me. But even so, since I'm in this job for a living, that should be a term I should be using for myself, even if I'm a professional.

But even so, I did have a thought about Nitadori 'a professional voice actor's really amazing!'. I guess this applies to both of us.

I decided to tell her how I wrote a novel,

“There's something I have to be clear with you first.”

“What is it?”

“No matter the number of authors, there's at least that number of methods to write. Right now, I'm pretty much just going to talk about 'the method I use'.”

“Understood.”

 

How does one write a novel?

As I had just mentioned, the method differs accordingly per person—

The one I used was the one I mastered while creating 'Vice Versa'.

Based on the order, that should be the most suitable.

First, I had to come up with the plot.

 

Plot.

This word in English can mean a conspiracy, a plan, but beyond that, there is the meaning of a structure, a scenario. Of course, when I (and the other authors) use this term, we would be talking about the latter.

I once searched up the definition of the term 'plot' on the internet. Strictly put, the definition seemed very complex.

Leaving that definition aside, I would typically think of it as 'a summary of the story' when coming up with this term.

In 8th grade,

“I see! So I need to think of a story!”

That was what I realized, but nowadays, I would not use the term 'story'.

I didn't know when I started, but I started using the term 'plot' instead.

 

“A plot, I think, is a framework, a blueprint of a novel.”

“Okay.”

“I don't think there's a definitive correct answer in the amount of plot. The file 'Vice Versa' was called 'a story of one transported to the other world, becoming an immortal', and that can be said to be the simplest summary of the plot. In any case, just understand that as 'the protagonist heads to the other world and becomes an immortal.”

“I see. But the construction of the plot isn't always that simple, right?”

“Of course. There are times where I have to be clearer in explaining the plot, especially when explaining to the editor-in-charge.”

The first step of writing a novel is to propose a plot, and I do think there's 2 ways to go about doing it

One of them is,

“Propose a plot for something that is to be written next time.”

This would be what can be considered a storage, and I can go about writing it a little simpler as it's just something only I need to understand. It's fine to keep it simple even if I only have a few major points. That was the plan for the file called 'Vice Versa'.

Soon after, the contents of the novel gradually existed, and there was no need for me to keep expanding on the ideas I thought of (if there are ideas I can think of, naturally, I'll record them first)

“A story of people living underwater, and venturing the land.”

“A futuristic crime story.”

“Human dolls begin to move and started attacking humans.”

I'll simply record such ideas down once I think about them, even if it's just a simple concept of a single line or sorts, and it's an asset I may be able to use in the future. My computer contains many of such ideas

Another method of composing plots would be,

“The author comes up with ideas to the editor-in-charge, telling him what the author intends to write.”

In this situation, the idea's the blueprint, a proposal to a business partner that conveys 'I want to write this. What do you think?'

The writing would also different accordingly based on the authors. Of course, I understood this well, having asked other authors myself.

Some will basically come up with short ideas comprising of one liners.

In contrast, others will come up with long ideas, as long as a novel itself.

Some will come up with a document that's like a report, clearly and concisely stating various factors like 'what happened? How will the characters act?' (like me)

In contrast, others will start writing the characters' emotions in this plotting phase, and edit their works.

 

“In that case...the author won't start writing without obtain the editor-in-charge's permission, right?”

Nitadori asked.

<em>This is just my own experience, and also what I heard from the editors of other light novelists.</em> I prefaced with this, and,

“Typically yes. But there are exceptions.”

 

In my case—

Leaving aside the submitted entry that was completed, what happened afterwards, beyond the second volume of 'Vice Versa' was,

“Typically, I'll begin writing after all the ideas I proposed have been approved. I'll send a message over through email conveying my ideas 'I intend to write the next volume like this. The characters will act like this,new characters will debut, these are the parts to shock the readers, and this is the ending'”

My house was connected to the internet, and I began to make contact with the editor-in-charge through email. I didn't think this answered the questions though, so I didn't mention it.

“The amount of plot I need to write differs per volume...but they aren't very long. A short one's about a dozen lines or so, and even if it is a little longer, it's not more than one pocket book spread page, or 2 pages.”

“That's considered short, right?”

“I really don't know. I think this is the only thing that differs...”

"There's something I'm a little curious about. You just said that you'll 'typically come up with plots. Does this mean that you didn't do that for a certain volume/"

I nodded.

"That was the case for the 7th volume."

Nitadori, whom I'm really grateful to for reading all my published works, immediately thought,

“It's the story of the 'Moving Country', right?”

 

The 7th volume of 'Vice Versa', the 4th volume of 'Side Shin', describes the story of a large moving country.

The stage was set in the most advanced country in Reputation. The country is 3km long, 1km wide, and moves on numerous caterpillars.

This country is equipped with massive mechanical arms, and spinning drills in the front; it can grind and level any land, obtaining all the resources. Once it arrives at a place, even the mountains will be leveled, and all that's left would be a barren land.

Typically, the country would only excavate minerals from areas with few people, and certainly would not cause trouble for other countries. Once a coup d'etat occurred however, the country harbored an ambition to rule over Reputation given the scientific power they possessed.

And Sin took action to stop that country's ambition.

Shin's mission was to infiltrate the country, die over and over again, and approach the central area of the country.

 

“Yeah, this is the only story I wrote without actually thinking of the plot.”

“Erm...why's that? And how did you do it?”

I tried recalling that certain day, answering,

“After having my meal, I just spent the time watching TV, and then I saw a large German excavation machine. That gigantic machine was called a 'Bucket Wheel Excavator', more than 200m long. I know such a thing exists, but it was the first time I actually saw that thing in action. Have you seen one before, Nitadori?”

Nitadori shook her head as her eyes stared at me. The sight of the glasses moving was a little amusing.

“This monster gigantic, long-necked dragon-like machine moves on caterpillars, yet the shape's very complicated. It's like a mesh of factories jammed together.”

Once I said this, I felt it was better for her to see a photo. It really is difficult imagining the appearance just from describing it.

I fish out my smartphone from my pocket, and begin searching for pictures using the search term ''bucket wheel'.

“This is it.”

I handed the smartphone to Nitadori so that she could see.

Once she took it, she scrolled through the phone a little.

“Hm...”

She probably didn't have much interest in the machine (well, it's normal, since she's a girl), so her reactions' lukewarm as she returns me the phone.

Keeping the phone, I said,

“Once I saw that gigantic machine just grind and level the ground, I had an idea 'the enemy's going to invade in the next volume', and then I began work. Immediately.”

“So, 'immediately', as in?”

“It's as the term implies. The show wasn't finished, but once I saw the part introducing that machine, I immediately shut the TV, and added a new file in the computer called 'a story about a massive country', beginning to write the story out. I didn't think of the structure at all; at first, I started to describe a massive country that's very hostile, where Sin and his ministers were glaring at it, and then Shin came...after that, as for what happened later, I just typed out what I thought. I didn't think of the structure even at the very end, just writing and thinking 'the story will develop this way, and then that way'. I didn't care about how much I wrote, I just wrote.”

“...”

Nitadori frowned a little, remaining silent.

<em>Is she terrified by this unreasonable, illogical method of writing.</em> I wondered worriedly.

“You managed to write a novel so suddenly...what do you have to do to do such a thing...?”

Contrary to my expectations, she's very impressed.

But even so, I could only answer,

“Well...I just had an inspiration.”

I did pause to think of the plot midway through, but I kept writing for another 2 weeks and 3 days before I finally finished it.

 

“Really unbelievable...”

Nitadori looked like she saw magic as she stared at me.

I suppose I can take that as praise, but this is all what I did, and what I could do, so I really can't feel proud about it.

I can't act at all (and I never acted), and I feel that Nitadori's powerful recitation was much better than what I can ever do.

“Erm...the 7th volume's just an exception. Normally, I'll think of a plot, and once the plot's all smooth flowing, I'll begin to write.”

I said, and decided to proceed with the topic.

Regarding the process of writing a story, I only touched upon the first step.

 

The train conductor today's still a woman, and she came to check our tickets a lot later than usual. Once it's done, I began eating the potato chips, and gulped some tea.

“Now then, leaving the exception aside...assuming that I finished a volume's worth of concepts and submit it to the editor-in-charge, and that the editor-in-charge finds it interesting and asks me to write.”

“Uh huh.”

“I'll have to begin writing, to actually get down to composing the story.”

 

After coming up with the manuscript, the next step will be to write the story.

But even so, the step's as the term implied, to actually focus on writing the story with determination.

Plotting is just deciding the main points, so there are a lot of issues I have to write and decide.

“No, I have to correct that. There's a need to decide on certain aspects while writing, and that'll be a lot more than what's already decided in the plot. For example, when manuscripting, I haven't decided on stuff like 'the guest characters' names.”

“Why? I thought you'll decide on the characters that'll appear in a story before writing them in.”

“I suppose some authors will do that, but that's not me. It's a different case for me though. While important characters are different...I'll prefer to wait until a character debut and pause to think of a name rather than to decide the names of all the characters that are to appear before writing. As for why—”

“Why?”

“Once the plot's basically decided, I'll begin to write. If I have to begin writing after confirming everything else...I feel that I won't be able to start writing.”

 

If I've to compare it to a plan for a trip.

Some may plan this way,

“I'll try spending a week visiting Kyoto this time, venture around all the shrines. I want to go to this temple and that shrine, I want to eat that. If there's still time, I want to do something. At latest, I need to be back before a certain time.”

And some may plan this way,

“Take the Shinkansen on Monday, reach Kyoto station at noon. First, we'll head to a certain temple, and stay until 3. At 4, we'll head to a certain hotel, take a shower a 5, have dinner a 7. The next day—”

My style of planning would probably be the former. I guess I won't be able to leave house if I have to come up with the perfect plan before going on a trip. I suppose I have to stop at a certain point rather than to just come up with the plan, say 'I'm leaving', and open the door.

 

“Speaking of which, I won't exactly follow the plot while writing.”

I curtly stated.

'Eh?”

Nitadori's again taken aback.

“Wah!”

I too was startled by her as both of us exclaimed loudly. Luckily, it's loud inside the carriage.

“Is there a need to be so shocked?”

I whispered. Nitadori herself voiced out softly, but her voice's still audible,

“Of course! The plot's a blueprint and a plan, right? In other words, you don't complete your work based on the plan at all?”

I nodded firmly.

“Is it alright to do that...?”

“Currently, there's no problems.”

I simply replied.

 

Surely I had to assemble the story according to the blueprint.

And that I had to write based on the plot.

If I kept worrying about that—

If I kept being restrained to be honest.

To put it bluntly, I really can't imagine myself being some author.

I don't know what others think, but even though I only have 2 years of experience as an author, I do write with the thinking 'the completed work is what I wanted to write'.

Assuming that the blueprint was 'a blue, light, small, streamlined sports car'.

Even if the completed car is 'the weight's still acceptable, the inside's wide, and it's an egg-shaped black wagon car', I don't think it's a failure (though the example itself is a little extreme).

“Ah, I completed this work.”

That would be what I would think, and I would repeat it again. As long as I found the story to be interesting, I would submit the work to the editor-in-charge. ('interesting' is always the most important aspect. This alone is the one thing I will not budge on).

 

It's not uncommon for the plot to continually change when writing.

“How does it change?”

“For example...when I'm unhappy with my initial concept, or when I thought of a new plot development when writing. It's very common; I never counted the number of times it happened, but this is the most common.”

“I see. What else?”

“The next one's an adjustment if the plot's too long. For example, I'm supposed to write a plot's worth of content, but after finding the story to be too story, I had to add some parts. Or maybe the opposite happened, and I wrote too much, so I had to cut off a few scenes. Using my experience, the latter's more common.”

“In that case...don't you feel regret about 'being unable to write what you originally planned'?'

“I answered that question already, and I don't feel regret at all. I rather have a completed manuscript work than an idealistic idea. I'll try my best to edit to improve it though, of course.”

“...I see.”

“And also, I'll often change the character profiles.”

“How?”

“I'll add new characters to cook up the atmosphere. In contrast, if I can't finish with the characterization, I'll think of reducing the number of characters. There are few female characters, so I need to change the gender for a few characters. The twist that 'this certain person's actually female' is always king, so I include this very often. Before then, when writing halfway through, I'll have thoughts of 'eh? It's probably more interesting to change this guy into a girl', and so I change what was supposed to be a guy into a girl.”

“...”

I didn't know whether Nitadori's speechless because she's amazed or dumbfounded.

But this was how I completed my novel.

I wanted to avoid following a fixed path (plot concept) when writing and end up 'unable to reach the final destination', 'spending too much time', 'kept making myself tired'.

“And because of this...I can't keep sticking to the plot that can be changed midway through.”

I felt I said some very ordinary things.

“Till now, I thought all authors would have a clear goal and write according to it.”

I learned how amazed Nitadori was from the large eyes under the glasses and how shrill her voice became as a result.

“I too think...such people exist. But...I don't think all authors will do that.”

“Haa...I'm shocked.”

 

Writing is a tough, yet wonderful thing—

And there's still tough parts later. The actual writing itself is always the longest part.

I had to actually think through a large part of the story, and convert it into words.

At this point, I only knew how to write using a word processing software, so in fact, it should have been 'kept typing',

But to make things convenient, I'll continue to use the term 'write'.

 

“I suppose you know that the content of a story can be divided into the 'descriptions' and 'dialogue'. The descriptions refer to the narrations and the explanations, or in other words, anything other than dialogue.”

I too found my own explanation to be very crude.

Nitadori nodded, and asked,

“Then, sensei, which do you find harder to write, the description or the dialogue?”

I answered,

“Hm, about that, it's definitely the description.”

 

I did mention before that I could not write back when I was in 8th grade.

And the description was the part I couldn't write.

I feel that those aiming to be authors will reach the hardest hurdle, how to think (formulate) a story , and also,

How to do the descriptions for a novel.

“As I said before, I struggled over and over again, and barely managed to write it...but I was really suffering back then.”

Looking at the back of the seat in front of it, I lamented.

It's interesting thinking of the times as a hammer after learning how to swim. The efforts put in back then definitely won't be for naught.

But even so, this isn't the time to be thinking back about what happened back then. I have to explain to Nitadori why the description is hard to write.

 

“Well, first...the aim of description is to explain to the readers what happens, so the author has to convey the intent to the reader.”

“Okay..”

"And so, it's best to have a story that's simple yet easy to understand. In other words, there's no need for text that's extremely complicated. The ideal should be when the topics and the narratives are very clear, and there's no misunderstanding whenever any reads it."

Now then, if there's a question 'is the description all that simple in all the stories to be found in the world', the answer will be, of course not.

In fact, authors will added interesting similes, outstanding metaphors, correct grammar, and so on. In other words, authors will do all kinds of 'cosmetics' to present the text as more splendid, wonderful.

"I do feel this way. The decorating of a text is like an illustrator's fine strokes, the parts that'll emphasize the unique traits of each other. For example, just as 'some illustrators have delicate drawing styles', there are some authors who have delicate styles when writing. Also, some authors will include a large amount of metaphors, and some will keep it simple, yet refine it to be much prettier later on."

And thus—

Those wanting to write novels will think,

"I have to write that kind of story too."

And so, they end up unable to write it out.

 

For example, someone watched an Olympic event on TV, and was impressed by a participant's performance.

He thought of trying to start with that sport, and began to do so.

Is he however about to immediately perform as well as an Olympic representative? Of course not. Anyone will understand this.

"Why can't I run 100m in 10 seconds?"

"Why can't I hit bullseye all the time?"

"Why can't I leap elegantly between the uneven bars?"

I don't really think anyone will have such troubles.

 

In terms of novels however, I do feel that many people begin off, but have the frustration of 'why can't I write like this particular author'.

"Speaking of which...I was like that when I first started writing. Back then, I think I was seriously thinking 'I did read so many books, but why can't I write that kind of a story'…"

And saying that, I turn my eyes to the distant past.

"..."

Nitadori remained silent,

"Well, I guess, that's impossible…"

And amicably agreed with me.

"Yes, it's impossible. There are amazing geniuses who exist in this world however, and there are exceptions to be seen everywhere, so I don't dare to say it's absolute. Anyway, most of the people probably can't do it."

 

The main difference between the sportsmen in the example and writing is—

Basically, 'writing stories in Japanese' is something any Japanese can do.

Anyone can come up with a half-baked story, so they probably can imagine themselves writing a story like a novelist.

And then they got frustrated over being unable to write.

Before they gave up in the end.

"Then, as for 'what do I do in this situation'...or I should say 'how did I do it'..."

"Hm, how?"

"I started writing from those parts I could. That was back when I was in 8th grade, so I'll skip on the explanation—"

I realized.

Though I read a lot of novels till this point, I had yet to actually write a story myself. I could write a story in Japanese, but it was stupid of me to think that I could actually successfully write a 'Japanese novel' right from the beginning.

“So I'm saying isn't that 'if there's no bread, have some cake'. I feel that if I can't write a story that's more difficult, try writing something simpler.”

“I see. Start improving on what you can do, huh?”

'Yeah. I feel that a simple text will do, so the one thing I focus most on is 'comprehensiveness', and I decided that I had to begin writing first.

It's impossible to just imagine and write a story like a certain professional author. Thus, I'll start from 'a simple story that's easy to understand'.

And then, I completed the story first, before revising what I wrote over and over again.

I continue to spice up the simple text, like 'a little additional narratives', 'slight changes in terms', and so on. If I feel there's no need to do so, I'll naturally let the text remain as such.

Soon after, I ended up being able to write better than how I did when I first started off.

“And then, when writing, you're able to write better text...is that it?”

“Well, it can barely be considered as such if you're calling a text that can be called a novel.”

“You're being humble again. Do you still find writing the description very difficult.”

“Yeah, even now, I do think this way. I'll feel really frustrated writing the descriptions. I can do it, but I'll still ask myself, is this enough? Is there a more obvious way of showing this? And assuming that it's easy to understand, is there a better way of spicing this up in a way readers will find amusing? It's not difficult to edit a text when writing a novel.”

“I see.”

“But of course, I still have to meet the deadlines, so there's a certain time when I had to tell myself 'this is enough'. Till now, my method is still to reread the story 3 times, and if I don't find the story to be awkward in any way, I'll submit the script.”

 

After explaining till this point, I drank some tea, and Nitadori asked,

“Then, what about the dialogue? It's easier, but is it really that easy thinking about it?”

And I honestly answer,

“It's far easier than the descriptions. I'm always able to think of conversations easily..”

 

I always had delusions ever since young,

And in my delusions, the conversations took a large chunk of it.

I kept thinking back on the characters (myself included back then) having such cool, boisterous, or interesting conversations.

I myself am introverted and timid, and I'll be so tense whenever I faced anyone, wondering what to talk about. In my delusions however, I'm able to actually chat with others without holding back.

In an actual conversation, the other party actually exists. I didn't know what he'll say (though I had some guesses).

After hearing the conversation, I'll think of how to answer him, and continue to listen to him. This continuous process definitely isn't easy (and at this moment, I'll be much more fatigued than usual thinking about 'not wanting to hurt the other party', or 'not wanting to say anything rude'.)

For example, it's like 2 people having a serious Shogi match.

 

In my delusional conversations, I'm proceeding with all this myself, so I know what the other party will be saying.

For example, I'm playing Shogi by myself. I could cook up the atmosphere of the match and determine the victory. All the moves are dictated by my brain, so it's much easier than having an actual, serious match.

The reason why I'm bad at actually conversing with people in reality is probably because I'm too used to playing Shogi by myself. While under the misunderstanding that 'the conversation will probably go just as I think', whenever they say something unexpected, I'll end up not knowing what to say at all.

“But to me, you look like you're able to converse normally with ordinary people, and you are able to actually do it.”

“That's because I'm basically answering questions...I think answering questions about myself is the simplest form of dialogue.”

“Then, isn't that it!?”

“What?”

“What you talked about when describing the descriptions. Start from the simplest conversation, and then you'll soon improve!”

“Ah, that.”

“Yes, that.”

Though the conversation's full of relative pronouns, I'm glad to be able to talk to her without any concerns. As she had said, I probably never had any talent of talking with people right from the beginning.

Start slowly from the simplest part, and soon after—

“Erm, the conversations the characters in the novel have...is completely different from an actual conversation. I think this is the case not only for a novel, but also for anime or a drama script.”

I racked my brain furiously, and said.

“Yes! I understand that!”

Nitadori agreed for the time being.

I'm glad. There's probably no one unhappy about being acknowledged by others. I once read in a certain book that the basic skill of getting on someone's good side through words is not to deny others.

“It's much more complete and easier to understand than an actual conversation, right?”

Nitadori gave the correct answer. I guess this is to be expected of a professional voice actress that's staring at the script all the time.

In fact, the conversation here is different from a conversation in a novel.

 

If one's to actually record an actual conversation and fill it out (or write it out), it's obvious that an actual conversation has a lot of colloquial and mistakes. It's really difficult to read text where every line's recorded.

It's after I searched through the internet that I learned that there are 3 methods to record dialogue and convert them into the words. 'transcribe', 'fluffing' and 'editing'.

'Transcribe' will mean adding all the sounds, including 'well', ahh', and all kinds of onomatopoeia, and they're all recorded into words. This is used when there's a need to accurately record the conversation.

'Fluffing' will be to remove those meaningless sounds, or make the bare minimum edits at the parts that are overly strange.

'Editing' will be as the term implies, to reconstruct the text into easy to understand sentences.

 

“I do feel that this also has something to do with the author's own preferences...but novels basically are 'edited manuscripts'. If I want to give a stammering feeling, I'll add terms like 'well'. If it's a text, I'll add ellipsis.”

“'Ellipsis', as in?”

“The punctuation used to contain sentences...used to describe silence.”

“Eh! I didn't know that.”

“It has 3 dots. Accurately put, there's a rule of thumb to put at least 2 or 4 of these. This punctuation however is based on the author's own preference, and it's the case too in publications other than light novels.”

“What about yourself, sensei?”

“For me, I'll still follow the rule, to add two of these, 6 dots altogether. If there's a need to emphasize silence, I'll double that; in other words, I'll use 12 dots.”

 

Speaking of ellipsis, I had a little urge to talk about how to write a story, the rules, and all sorts of stuff.

But it'll be way off topic in that case, so I held back.

“Is there anything to take note of with regards to other parts, like dialogue or anything? I want to know more about conversations.”

Nitadori said. I guess this it to be expected of a voice actress.

“Now then, let's talk about a conversation in a novel. I do think there's a very big difference, other than the fact that 'the characters conversation are a lot more polished than an actual conversation'. That is—”

“That is?”

“Character conversations are not exactly meant for each other.”

“Hm? Then, who are they for?”

Nitadori tilted her head, asking, and so I answered,

“For the readers.”

 

“Ah...I see, so that's how it is...”

“For example, right now, I'm having a conversation with you on the train...”

“Yes.”

Nitadori chimed in, seemingly happy about it. Is this my imagination? But even so, I can't understand what's there to be happy about. It's useless to worry about such things however, so I continued,

“If I'm a character in a novel...I won't be talking to you, Nitadori>'

“...Hm, now that's definitely the case.”

And now she's looking unhappy. I really can't understand her.

“The one I'm talking to is the reader. I'll be portraying this character, and convey to the readers what the author wants to express. That's the kind of impression. Ah, I think I'm getting a little obnoxious here. Sorry.”

“No no. Then, am I talking to the readers too?”

I nodded firmly.

Nitadori then turned her stare to the top right corner of the carriage ceiling,

“Dear readers, hello there. If you find this book to be very interesting, please recommend it to your classmates!”

Her speaking voice was completely different from before, very cute. It can be described as the 'anime voice'.

I couldn't see from this angle—

So I didn't know what sort of expression Nitadori was showing on her face.

 

The carriage on May 1st is far more packed than how it normally was.

Many people got off midway through the trip, but there were also a lot of commuters on this trip. The free-seating carriage became lively.

There's still no seat in the one seated in front of us, but there's finally a young woman seated at the right side of the aisle, near the window.

In that case, we couldn't converse as we normally id.

And once I wondered that, the woman immediately put on her earphones to listen to music, and closed her eyes.

“Looks like...my sleep magic worked.”

Nitadori said with a serious face,

“Impressive.”

Sleep magic's the most basic of spells in 'Vice Versa', able to cause the inflicted party to be overwhelmed with a great urge to sleep, and prompt them to do so.

And this was a common spell Sin would use in the real world whenever he encountered a tough situation.

 

Nitadori asked me how I write, and at this point, I only answered the concept planning and a small part of writing itself.

“Well, in the process of writing, what's the next step?”

“Well...”

I start to ponder, and I had little thought,

“I'll digress a little. Is that okay?”

“Go ahead.”

“Now then, when I first started out, I would obviously following a rough outline of the concept or the ideas I thought, and continue to write enthusiastically.”

“Okay.”

“I feel that writing is a job is something that can conceive all kinds of possibilities if you think hard, and yet continue to throw it away.”

“Hm? What do you mean?”

“Well...the novel I had was conceived in my mind. At first, what developed was the ideas, and then, the concept will be formed. At that phase, my story's yet to take shape. That's because, as I had said, I'm not limited by the concepts when writing.”

“Uhum.”

“But once I continue to write, I'll decide on which parts I want to keep. Of course, there are times when I'll rewrite it, or I'll abandon certain scenes...but if I'm happy with the parts I've written, I'll keep that part.”

“Ah, I think I get what you're saying here, sensei.”

“Once I'm done writing a novel, the content will take care, and won't become another story altogether. At this moment, I'll give up other possibilities. The possibilities I give up on will be far more than the possibilities I chose. It's tough giving up on them, but I got no choice. If I don't give up on them, I won't be able to make choices.”

“Just like life.”

Nitadori said with a grim look.

I didn't intend to give such a massive impression; all I wanted was to describe 'how hard it is to give up'.

“Just like life.”

However, I decided to play along.

 

“Now then, we mentioned the plot, began written, and later...”

I wondered what I was to say next, muttering.

“Can I ask? When did you decide the title of the work? Who decides it?'

Nitadori took a gulp of tea, and reached her hand out to me.

“Ah, thanks. Now then, I'll explain this part first.”

“No problem. Go ahead please.”

 

I feel that the title's very important.

Either way, the first thing the reader wants to see first is the title and the author (in the world of light novels, the cover is as important too, but I'll leave that for another time). When picking a light novel title, I'm very particular about the readers' impression on the title.

When coming up with a title, it has to be impactful, and also easy to understand.

“Leaving aside the impact first, let's consider the ease of understanding the title. Assuming that there's a book titled 'a Certain murder ', we'll be able to tell what kind of a story it is.”

“Yes, it's a detective novel, right?”

“Yes. This is a classic example, but I feel that all kinds of novels will have similar names, so in that way, the best way is to determine the title of the book. If I want to write a detective novel, I'll do that unless there's a situation where I can't compromise.”

“So, sensei, how did you decide on this light novel title?”

“Hm. In the world of light novels, the title—”

 

Can only be described as chaotic.

There are all kinds of titles, an entire variety of them.

Some titles are simple enough, including the protagonist's name.

Some titles are formed using the protagonist's name with another noun. 'OO's XX (OO no XX)' is quite common.”

There are also short phrases used to describe the world setting.

At a certain period, there were titles of four hiragana words with exclamation marks added at the back, including anime and manga.

And also, there's one that's often seen currently—

The extremely long titles that can be said to be sentences.

 

“Ah, yes, those extremely long names are really scary. If they need to be made into anime, when the news for auditions get circulated, everyone would be thinking in surprise, 'Woah, another long one!'”

"I feel that such titles are very popular due to the impactfulness that will leave a great impression. Also, they can add additional 'selling points' into the title, like little sisters, demon lord, class reps, maids, and so on, so I guess it's for convenience sake."

"Ohh...I guess this is a calm analysis only authors can do."

"But stories with extremely long titles isn't just for long titles. Such titles aren't really uncommon in sci-fi. Do you know the original title of the movie 'Blade Runner'?"

"No."

"'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sleep?' The Japanese version uses the direct translation, and the English title is this long. There are also some titles that are really long in movies, so I think the trend of titles being so long they're sentences don't simply appear in light novels."

"Hmm...then, sensei, will you use that kind of title?"

After pondering for 3 seconds, I concluded that no, I won't do that. Currently, there's an oversaturation of extremely long titles, so the impact has weakened, and it gets a little stale."

"No, I won't."

Nitadori chuckled, saying,

"I knew you'll say that. I do think that 'Vice Versa' is a wonderful title. It's short, but it conveys the setting well. When I first saw the cover, I was thinking 'wow'."

I wanted to thank her, but instead, I asked her,

"Nitadori...is your English fluent?"

I, who was supposed to be the one answering the questions all this time, actually took the initiative to ask her a personal question. Even I was shocked by this.

"Why...do you think that way?"

She asked.

It seemed she was more startled that 'I got it right', rather than me asking the question. And so, I honestly answered what I thought of,

"Hm, when I was looking for this English term, I realized that a lot of Japanese don't know this at all, and I heard that even the textbooks don't have it. It's commonly used in English conversations however. You knew what it meant the moment you saw the title...and I guess your English conversation skills might be decent."

Nitadori blinked the eyes under the glasses.

"...Amazing work, Sherlock."

Is her English fluent after all? Again I learned something about Nitadori.

"My English's decent, but it's nothing to be proud of, and I never mentioned it to others."

"Understood, I'll keep it a secret at school. Normally, I won't be to talking to anyone anyway.

"You'll have an increase in number of friends soon! Hey...aren't you decent at English yourself? Do I try talking to you in English?"

"Did you forget the 'My Warld The Number First'?"

 

And while Nitadori was reining in her laughter, I informed her of the origin of the title 'Vice Versa'.

Once I had my world setting, and recorded down the plot—

“Ah, 'Vice Versa' does sound good.”

I just had this feeling, and went along with using it.

As I said before, it's a term I learned from a certain movie. Ever since then, I kept remembering it..

As I said, I suppose most of the Japanese don't know this term, and that's why I named it as such.

In other words, I had it as a selling point,

“I don't know the meaning of the mysterious term, but it sounds cool.”

If the word 'vice' is looked at as an ordinary word, it'll mean 'evil' in English. To a German reader, 'Weiß' would mean 'White'.

When I first started the content of the first volume, I had the English teacher teach Shin the meaning of the term Vice Versa.

I hoped that after the readers read the meaning of the book, they would have a 'I see, the title represents the setting of the world'.

 

“Ohh...so that means you actually thought hard about it before coming up with the name, right?”

Nitadori looked impressed at first, and then said,

“And you did that to actually reveal one of my secrets so discreetly...I never thought you had such intention.”

I answered,

“Of course. When naming the title, I already expected that we'll be seated on this train 3 years later, on May 1st.”

“As to be expected of you, sensei. You really have a way with things...”

Why however?

I suppose I'm not really good at the Manzai routine, but I could easily handle it if my partner's Nitadori.

 

I continue to explain about the book title, answering her the question of 'who names the book'.

“First off, the contest entry is obviously titled by the author.”

“Okay.”

“But after winning the award, it seems there's often a change in title.”

I didn't change the title of the work before, so most of these is hearsay. To change the title of a work, there's 3 methods to this. 'the editor-in-charge does it', 'the author comes up with a new name', or 'both people do it'. (Also, there's an example, when the ideas are revealed for a public voting).

What will a modern author do?

It seems it'll be one of the three.

I heard the timeframe for naming a book isn't fixed, and it's decided based on the situation.

As for me, the title of my current work (series), 'Vice Versa' was conceived when I was coming up with the story, as I had said.

And this is what I heard from the editor-in-charge and other authors—

Some will want to think of a cool title, and then expand their thinking from there.

Some will come up with the name when plotting the story (that's me).

Some can't think of the title at all, so they'll first try to come up with a placeholder title. Once the manuscript's done however, they'll decide on the actual title.

Sometimes, the placeholder titles will become the actual title because there aren't any other ideas.

 

And after hearing this,

“Hey, sensei...”

Nitadori gave a somewhat bemused yet serious look.

“Wh-what is it...?”

And while I answered so timidly, Nitadori asked,

“Sensei, if you have to write such a situation into a novel and give a title to it, what will you do?”

“Huuh!?”

This extremely gaudy question caused me to let out an awkward cry.

“In other words, if you have to come up with a story where you're a protagonist, what'll you call it?”

“...Me—?”

“'Me'?”

“I already fired myself...”

“I know you said it already! If you're to think about it again, what'll you do? In fact, at this age, you're already a light novel author, and your work's adapted into an anime. That's just like a light novel protagonist, isn't it?”

“...I never thought of that before.”

“How about it? If you try thinking about it, what will you title your book?”

“...”

I began to think.

After thinking over and over again, letting Nitadori wait for about a minute, I muttered,

“Erm, 'No Longer Human'?”

Nitadori was a little peeved to hear such an answer, saying,

“Isn't that blatant copying?”

“Then, 'No Longer Protagonist'?”

“Like it has changed much!”

 

The train moved into the city.

It's already dark outside, and the carriage's starting to buzz.

I already explained the concept planning, writing, and the title. What's next?

Do I start from the part after writing the script?

“Is there anything you'll pay particular note to when writing? Like something you have to pay attention to?”

Nitadori asked.

“Other than the deadline?”

“Other than the deadline.”

“Hm...there are a few things.”

It's trivial, but since she asked, I thought of it, so I decided to ask her.

 

When writing, I'll follow the 2 pages, 34 lines, 42 characters per line 'Dengeki Bunko format', horizontally.

I'll occasionally write the text in vertical manner, and then use the 'print preview' function in Word to view the publication layout when converted into Dengeki Bunko format.

Some may think, in that case, why don't I simply do it in vertical format instead. As I had explained it long ago however, I'm already used to landscape, so I don't intend to change that.

When checking through the layout, if I find the words to be too crammed,

I'll increase the name of lines.

“Eh? Why do you do that?”

“Because the priority is 'readability'.

 

A light novel's the first novel most people would have read in their lives.

That was the impression I had through the fan letters I got and the online book reviews. To me, who grew up living with books, I really was surprised that 'many read books for the first time after entering Middle or High School'.

But any point is a starting point.

And after saying this, I realized I got many things 'I have yet to start on'.

Once I realized that light novels are 'an entrance that conveys the interesting aspects of novels', and bore the mission to guide people to interact with books, I started to have an idea.

For the sake of those who have yet to touch books, I want to try my best to make my work easy to read.

For those who have yet to have the habit of reading books, what kind of books are easy to read?

I feel,

First off, the sentences; it's best if I abstain from using too many difficult sentences. As I said before, i actually fulfilled this, unexpectedly.

The next one should be the impression the pages give a reader.

Rather than cram pages with words,

I suppose it's better to leave some spaces when at certain intervals.

 

When writing, I'll occasionally end up in situations where 'I'm in a groove'.

That's a wonderful moment where my thoughts simply flow.

During that situation, I don't have time to think of aligning the text, and the words will often be cramped.

Thus, I'll look at the text calmly, and then add in more spaces.

When writing, I typically don't adhere to a certain amount of text per chapter. At most, I'm guessing a certain number of pages per part, (for 'Vice Versa', I'll divide each chapter as around 30 to 50 pages).

And so, the amount of spacing to increase the number of pages won't be much of an issue.

If it's like a magazine or a newspaper, the column size does have a limit, and I most probably can't do it as I please.

 

“I see. So you prioritize readability, and not let the words be too crammed. Anything else you take particular note for?”

After thinking for a few seconds, I answered,

“The names of the characters, I guess. I'm always bothered by it.”

“Really? Bothered about what?”

“The one thing I really have to take note is to make sure the names don't clash with any real life celebrities or characters in other works.”

“It's still tough having to come up with names for so many people, right? How do you come up with names for your own characters?”

“It seems like some will name characters according to certain rules. For example...I know that a certain manga has all its names based on prefectures.”

“Then what about 'Vice Versa'? How do you go about naming it?”

“Other than Shin and Sin, there's basically no rules for most of the characters, especially the characters in Reputation. I'll just use names that I think are cool. Characters like Pluto are as such. As for 'Side Shin', the characters with Japanese names are actually, randomly named...just as long as they don't clash.”

“So...how do you check on that?”

“It's easy to do so now. Just search through the internet for any names you think of.”

“I see!”

“I'll use it if it's not a name or family name that clashes with characters from other works, or any name that clashes with any celebrities in real life.”

“Then...what about Meek?”

 

The eyes under Nitadori's glasses were as serious as she showed during the After Record.

At this point, a strong impulse arose in my heart.

Ah, I see.

This person in front of me is the voice actress portraying Meek.

[[File:Toolong017.jpg|thumb]]

 

“Homunculi like Meek are the only exceptions. There's a rule to their naming.”

I answered, and Nitadori suddenly leaned her body and face towards me.

“What rules?”

Too close. The glasses are too close to me.

I tilted my body slightly back, and Nitadori too reverted back to her original position.

“What rules?”

She asked a second time. Looks like she really wants to know.

Well, it's to be expected. It's the character she's going to portray in the future, and it's the first official named character she's acting the role of.

Tomorrow, Meek will be appearing for the first time in the After Record for the 5th episode.

She'll debut for a few minutes, and actually talk to Shin.

 

I've been wondering, have I actually told anyone how I got Meek's name.

I didn't remember if I actually said this to the editor-in-charge.

I also didn't remember if I actually mentioned it during the anime script meeting.

If I've yet to tell anyone,

Nitadori will be the first one to know.

Well, I guess it's fine to tell her this.

I immediately had an answer.

She's a colleague, and someone who'll keep secrets. There won't be problems even if I do tell her.

 

It's noisy inside the carriage, but for added safety, I hushed my voice as much as possible to answer her.

“The names of the Homunculi actually originate from Russian.”

“Eh...Russian...?”

“Before that, do you know of the 'Naming Dictionary'?”

“No.”

She shook her head slightly, and I explained to her.

As the term implied, the naming dictionary is a dictionary for names.

It records all sorts of terms in languages of more than 10 countries, marketed as 'Convenient for naming products, companies and shops'.

The first column's basically English, followed by French, German, Italian, Spanish, and so on. The number of languages recorded in each book's different.

I too have such a naming dictionary. When coming up with names for 'Vice Versa', I'll find a good katakana name for characters.

And as this is really convenient.

I do feel that for authors, or anyone aspiring to be authors, it's not a bad thing to have a naming dictionary with them at all times. The naming dictionary can also be classified for ordinary types, fantasy worlds, or even military.

 

The name Миг was what I found when I was flipping through the book. It sounded cute, so I memorized it.

Readers would often mention this name in their review, but I want to say, the name Миг wasn't meant to imitate that famous voice synthesis software cum popular character.

“Then what does the name mean in Russian?”

Nitadori's stare was intense. I could feel the rage from the anxiety she had after I explained the naming dictionary to her.

I didn't want to get bitten to death, so I answered,

“It means 'instance'.”

 

“Instance...”

Nitadori muttered softly..

“Instance...”

And again she did.

Once she understood the meaning of the name of the character she's portraying.

I don't know what this voice actress is actually thinking.

But what I'm thinking inside is, 'Good thing I didn't come up with an indecent name for this character'.

The other homunculi are also named based on Russian, and currently, there's more than 10 of them.

Свет (Svet) means visible light, and that's still decent.

Лес (Les) means forest. Speaking of which, this particular homunculus is in the country of the deserts, so the setting's different from the name, at least.

Доска (Doska) means blackboard. He's a handsome young man, but his name is a blackboard.

Складки (Skladki) means folds. She's a pretty girl

Гриб (Grib) actually means mushroom.

Пугало (Pugalo) actually means scarecrow...

That was close.

I nearly ended up in a situation where I'll be saying,

“The name of the character you're portraying actually means 'mushroom' (or 'scarecrow')!”

That really was close.

 

“Instance...”

Nitadori kept her head lowered, and I added on with the explanation,

“In English terms, it'll mean 'moment'. I think it's a similar pronunciation in Russian, and the reason I actually remembered it well is because before I actually confirmed the name, I did check for info on the internet. Meek sounds cuter though, so I decided to use it.”

 

This really is off topic, which I never said to Nitadori,

'In Russian pronunciation, 'Миг' can be read as 'MiG'.

As for 'MiG', that'll be the famous fighter jet manufacturer. The company manufactured lots of fighter jets, like the MiG-25 or the MiG-29.

Anyway, the company has nothing to do with this 'Meek'.

Some fans will submit their illustrations onto the internet, and one of them has Meek standing in front of a MiG-21. I really like that illustration, so I had it saved.

 

There's another thing I haven't told Nitadori.

Meek actually means 'Instance', so I had a thought that sooner or later, it'll become a topic somewhere.

It's rare to get a meaningful name, so when I talked about 'Instance', I'll add the name 'Meek' in furigana by the side, coolly emphasizing this point.

I thought of that, but I haven't used that.

If I don't hurry with it, I guess I won't be able to use it even if I want to.

 

Thinking about that, I reached my hand towards the tea by the windowsill.

“Thanks for telling me all of this. I had been wondering about it all this time.”

“Eh?”

The formal language from the seat on the right side really shocked me.

Turning my head aside, I found Nitadori there, staring at me.

“?”

Once she saw my surprised look, she too was taken aback. Looking at her expression, it looks like she hadn't realized she used formal language.

I was thinking that it wasn't good to pursue the matter, so I did my best to say in an earnest voice,

“Erm...don't mind me. I'm looking forward...to the After Record tomorrow.”

“Yes! Please allow me to do that! I will do my best tomorrow!”

Again, she spoke in formal language.

I felt a shock in face of the sudden bombardment of formal language. This conversation's too impactful, so I'll occasionally add such a writing style in my work. I never thought I'll actually get this experience however.

Nitadori,

Probably got into 'work mode'.

To me, I really wish she would stop with the formal language as before.

While thinking about it for a little while, she suddenly stood up, saying,

“Please excuse me for a while.”

And then, she immediately went through the automatic doors behind us.

 

The train passes through some tunnels that are rather long, moving through smoothly. It's a pretty, lush mountainous area around here, but it has become rather dim outside the window, so there's not much scenery to be seen even after leaving the tunnel.

It's still noisy inside the carriage. Looks like Nitadori had cast a really powerful spell, for that woman's still affected by it. I hope that she's getting off at the terminal however.

Nitadori has yet to return. I'm not really picky about her taking too long; it's useless to be picky about it if she's headed to the toilet.

I was only thinking,

“Ah, so nice.”

Potato chips go best with sea salt after all.

 

“Ah, kept you waiting.”

Once I was done finishing the potato chips, Nitadori managed to recover, and returned. Did she wash off her 'work mode' with water? Or did she hand it off to someone else?

As usual, she had her hair tidied, let her hair drape in front and behind her chest, before sitting down quickly.

“Now that we mentioned 'concept, writing, title, character naming'—”

Nitadori said,

“Can I conclude this as 'this is a volume done' for the time being'?”

“No problems.”

“Then, what will an author do next? Is there anything to take note?”

Listening to the question, I pondered.

Nitadori's asking some really detailed questions. Is she planning to write a novel herself?

But I did remember her saying not long before 'I don't intend to register'.

In that case, I guess a certain acquaintance of hers want to be an author for some reason.

Or maybe that she's already an author, and I don't know? Is she a voice actress and an author? Is she planning to get intel beneficial to her from a rival?

Once I had my delusions till that point, I decided to return to reality.

 

“Now then, assuming that I've completed a volume worth of manuscript, it's now the work to check through it, and then complete the elaboration (or bump and knock).”

“Bump and knock?” (TN Non-snark: 推敲)

Nitadori asked.

It's a term taught in elementary language classes, and I thought everyone knew this.

Perhaps Nitadori was on leave that day, so I explained.

Elaboration would be to read through the text over and over again, and add on.

There is a origin to this term. A certain Chinese poet was wondering,

“Which one do I use? Bump or knock?”

While walking, he bumped into an official and his men.

That official, a man of literature himself, said,

“'Knock' is better.”

And having said that, the poet decided.

So, by connecting the two words, that term came about.

 

“Eh, it's the first time I knew about this. Thanks.”

“Erm, do mind it. Assuming that I'm done with writing a novel, the bump and knock's done for the moment.”

So what will I do next? I'll send the manuscript to the editor-in-charge, get him to read through, an check through it.

For practically all the authors, including me,

When we talk about 'sending the manuscript', we're talking about email.

I'll attach the Word document to the email, and press the send button.

Thus, there's no need for the editor-in-charge to come over and get the manuscript, and I don't have to send the actual physical copy over.

I can send the file from anywhere in the world. With a computer and internet around, I can work anywhere in the world.

“You aren't in Tokyo at the moment anyway, sensei. Are there many authors working outside the capital?”

“Amongst the authors I see at the end of year party, most of the authors are living in Kanto, including Tokyo, followed by Kansai. There are a few living far away. The end-of-year party is a rare chance to get all these people gathered.”

“I see.”

 

I'll get back to talking about email attachments.

Before adding the word document to the email, I'll add '111' to the back of the file, before sending it out.

This refers to the '1st manuscript'. A single '1' is enough, to avoid mixing up the volume numbers, I'll add three repeated numbers before sending it out.

“And once the editor-in-charge's done checking, and you edit it, it'll become the 2nd manuscript'?”

“That's the case. I'll add '222' at the back of the file.”

“Then, how many manuscripts do you have to do?”

“Well, before this...I think it's better to explain to you the discussion meeting and the review. What do you think?”

“In that case, go ahead with it, sensei.”

 

The editor-in-charge will be in charge of checking through the manuscript, and review it.

Writing's difficult, but so is review. Sometimes, reviewing the work's worse than writing it.

After I send the manuscript, the editor-in-charge will have to spend days, or even a week to check through it. If he can't get the time to do it, this period will be lengthened.

And then, the editor-in-charge will notify me of a meeting time and date. There are mainly two methods to this,

One of them is to hold a meeting through the phone, and the other's to meet face to face.

“I can understand a meeting through the phone...but meeting directly will mean, that the editor-in-charge will be looking for you?”

I shook my head,

“I think that some authors and editors-in-charge will do this, but I haven't done that. I've always been going to Tokyo. I'll hold meetings through the phone sometimes, but to be honest, I think a face to face meeting's better. There are some parts in particular that need editing, and a face-to-face meeting right from the get go will do.”

 

I'll head to Tokyo according to the date.

2 years ago, when I was in 10th grade, all the meetings will be held on Friday nights. For me however, I'll ask the editor-in-charge to spare time for me.

After school, I would hurry towards the station, take the Rapid Express before this one, which leaves at around 3pm.

And so, I'll be able to reach the editorial branch at Idabashi before 7pm.

We would use the conference table beside the editorial branch. I heard that some will hold meetings in restaurants or cafe, but to be honest, I really don't want to do this, for I'm worried that the people will eavesdrop on what we're talking about, or things get leaked. Anyway, I can't hold the meetings with a peace of mind.

The meeting's typically around 2 hours long, and if longer, about 3 hours.

 

“That's rather long...so in detail, how do you proceed with the meeting?”

“First, erm, the meeting basically starts with the editor-in-charge saying 'this is very interesting', or something, I guess? That'll let me feel relieved, since it's not a situation where, 'I can't use this story at all'.”

“Can't use at all? That means—”

“Yeah, that's how it is. It's scary if I can't use the story at all. Anyway, it means 'this story's meaningless, so I can't use it'.”

“In that case...what'll happen next?”

“Of course, I'll have to rewrite.”

“Everything?”

“Everything.”

“Have you encountered a situation where you can't use the story at all...?”

 

Actually I haven't got this at all.

So when I said that, it's just me imagining things.

As I had said before, once I submit my concept, once the editor-in-charge agrees with my ideas, I'll begin writing.

But even so, it's as what I said before. It's very rare to have the original concept being exactly the same as the manuscript.

No matter how interesting the concept is, if the novel isn't interesting, or if the completion's too little, or if any of these two occur, the editor-in-charge might not use this at all.

After chatting with other authors, I learned that there are actually many authors who had stories that were scrapped.

Will this happen to me some day?

I felt terrified every time.

 

“How interesting—”

Even though such a reply will give me relief, I still can't let my guard down.

Every single time, the editor-in-charge will pose me lots of issues.

“So, how does the editor-in-charge raise them?”

“I feel that at first, they'll start from the entire plot process. This is the part with the most need for change. Both the editor-in-charge and I will use the term 'Drastic changes'; this is the part that really needs a lot of changes, so even if all the trivial parts are pointed out, it's meaningless.”

“I see. Are there examples where you need drastic changes?”

“For example, 'the entire story flow feels a little unnatural', or 'a certain scene is too long', or 'the story development needs to be changed completely', or something...”

Once there are parts that require drastic changes, the situation gets really tiring. It's not as bad as being unable to use it, but the editing part really is important.

Okay, leaving aside the 1st volume where I needed 3 revisions, there was one time in my experience when I needed a drastic change in the 3rd volume.

The editor-in-charge pointed out that the final battle was too long.

The battle against Pluto in the first volume was really long, and I thought I did good for that, so I got cocky and said that I wanted to get a high, but the results weren't as good.

The editor-in-charge pointed out that the battle part was too long, so I made heavy cuts on the battle scenes in the 3rd volume.

It's like a woman who had a breakup, and had a haircut. I'm not a woman though, and I never had a breakup.

“Eh! Then, did your first love succeed?”

The moment I mentioned the haircut example, Nitadori responded very enthusiastically. Really I found her to be girlish given how interested she was in regards to 'love topics'.

“So, sensei...how's your girlfriend like?”

I knew this Nitadori was asking a rhetorical question.

“I have yet to receive a confession from anyone till this point...”

“Why the formal language?'

“Why exactly...?”

I guess a person with neither friends nor girlfriend is probably an alien.

And I'm not an alien. Inductive reasoning complete.

 

Back on point,

I revert the topic back to the cutting of the manuscript.

Because of this, I cut a lot of parts from the original fight scene.

And the number of enemies that originally appeared in battle was reduced in half. A few would have appeared in other scenes, but even though there were some named characters, I scrapped them.

Looking at the results however, I felt this correction was really appropriate.

The battle description was simple, short, and compact, and I could add on the relaxing scenes later. Those scenes would become plot points later on.

 

“When there's no need for drastic changes, the editor-in-charge will typically say 'I'll explain it from the beginning'. In other words, he'll list all all the issues from the beginning, in chronological order. He'll then specify the problem, like maybe the story structure's shoddy, the meaning hard to convey, or basic mistakes like typing errors or wrong kanji.”

“At this moment, will you be looking at the printed manuscript?”

“That was how it went at first. The editor-in-charge will use the printer in the branch to print two copies, one of them for me. He'll also mark out the issues in red pen, which I call 'red marks'. After that, I'll follow the red marks and edit the manuscript on the computer.”

“I see. But you just said 'that was how it went at first', right? What about now?”

Nitadori asked the obvious question.

And I answered,

“I'll bring my laptop to the meeting.”

At the end of the year when I made my debut as an author, I received the publication fees for the 2nd volume that was released that October.

About money, I'll leave that for later (if I'm asked)—

Anyway, I used that money to buy a little laptop.

It's thin and small, not troublesome even if I put it in a bag and bring it around. Also, I actually bought a brand new model, and managed to pay it off in one go.

And using this laptop, I could work on my way to and fro, or in the hotel. This really helped me out.

The large laptop I first bought was old, but it wasn't faulty, so even after 4 years, I'll continue to use it. When connecting to the internet at home, I'll use the large one. If I have to be picky about it, the operating speed's a little slow, but this won't cause me any problems.

It's very helpful to have 2 computers for work. In case one breaks down, I can continue to work.

I once read in a certain book that professionals always have a spare just in case, but the one stating it in the book was a cameraman.

I'll typically bring that laptop, which I bought with my own money, to meetings.

At first, I would edit the red marks that night in the hotel in a handwritten manner, but,

 

“Actually...my handwriting...not nice at all...”

“Eh? —Really!?”

“Yes...that's right.”

I never thought Nitadori would be that surprised.

I suppose she never did see my handwriting; no, actually, I did write something on the blackboard during class. Back then, I did my best trying to write.”

“Erm...and then?”

“Hm, there are times when I can't read my own handwriting...”

“...”

 

This really isn't something to be proud of.

But I really couldn't do anything about it.

At first, after having my meeting with the editor-in-charge, I'll write words on the script in red pen. My handwriting's so atrocious however that there are times when I don't know what I'm writing.

When writing, I still remember the points he pointed out. If I think of how to edit it, I'll record it down.

But there's naturally a lot of parts I need to edit.

After 3 hours, I couldn't remember the parts the editor-in-charge asked me to edit.

And in that situation, there are times when I'm troubled because I can't read my own red words.

“Ahh! What did he say is the problem here!”

And such situations just kept increasing (at this moment, I'm left at my wits' end and have to call the editor-in-charge.)

So I decided to bring a laptop to the meetings.

So in other words, at the conference table—

The editor-in-charge will have the printed manuscript, while I'll be looking at the laptop screen.

Of course, I wouldn't forget to first add a '222' at the back of the file name.

Once he points out the errors, I'll immediately move the mouse. If it's skipping lots of pages, I'll use the search function to move to that page.

And when he mentions the issue,

I'll edit it immediately if it can be done easily. A mistype or a wrong word can be classified as such.

The advantage of this is that the editor-in-charge can make the corrections immediately.

If the issue requires a longer time to explain, I'll leave a few spaces and add what's the need, like,

“I need more lines here.”

“I need to cut a lot here.”

“I need to make this scene match the last one”

Or things like that.

 

“As for the time required to edit the manuscript...if there's a need to edit a lot of it, it'll take about a week. If there's ample time until the next deadline, I can spend a few more days. I'll then complete the second manuscript and send it to the editor-in-charge again.”

“And the editor-in-charge will check through it again?”

“Yeah. He'll check if the parts are edited, and find mistakes. Of course, there'll be far fewer mistakes in the second one than in the first one—or I'll cry.”

“Haha.”

“If there's no need for me to head down to the editorial branch again, the second and third draft review will be done through the phone. When calling through the phone, I'll put my cellphone in hands-free mode and put it in front of my laptop, holding my meeting this way. He'll call me, and since it'll typically be a long talk, 30 minutes will be considered quite short. There was once when we talked for 2 hours.”

“I see...there's something I'll like to ask first.”

“Go ahead.”

“When the editor-in-charge tells you 'this part needs correction', do you feel hurt about it? This novel conveys all your ideas, right? Even if it's a small part, you won't feel angry or hurt to hear 'please edit this part' will you?”

“No, practically not.”

I simply replied.

As a professional author.

In other words, since a publisher's willing to publish my books, and I can obtain a publishing fee—

The work I write has to be checked by the editor-in-charge.

If I think I'm completely rejected because my work's denied, and I sink into depression,

I can't be a professional author.

 

A long time before I became an author, probably 5th grade, I once saw a prose with such content.

I don't know who the author was, probably a bestselling author.

Back then, I only thought 'I see'. When I had the potential to be a professional author myself however, I suddenly thought of it, and I couldn't forget about it.

Of course, if I encountered a situation I can't back down on no matter what, I'll insist until the very end.

To insist until the very end...in fact, such a situation's very rare.

When our opinions clash, I'll typically back down and edit the parts.

I've been doing that till this point, and the books were a hit, so I felt I should simply do that.

 

After emphasizing this part clearly, I added on,

“I haven't ended up in a situation where the story doesn't get picked up at all...maybe I'll be really sad if I do end up encountering that. At the end-of-year party, I think a senior writer I met said 'if your work doesn't get picked up many times, it'll get really depressing'.”

I can only imagine it in reality, but that definitely hurts.

“That's...tough.”

Nitadori probably felt the same too as she lamented.

“Now then, I'll get to the part 'how many versions must I do'.”

“Okay.”

“Typically, I'll finalize things at the 3rd manuscript.”

“Finalize, as in?”

“It simply means completing the manuscript. I'll think of it as 'sending the completed, edited manuscript out' though. That part basically means the job is done. The deadline will typically mean that the story's to be finalized on a certain month, certain day.”

“I see. So that means you're done with your best.”

“Yeah, but even though the writing's done, I still have a lot of things to do before the novel gets published.”

 

I've explained things to the 'finalized' part, but an author's work doesn't end here. It's easier than writing, but there's a lot of things to do.

I look at the watch, and find that we'll reach the destination in an hour. I leave the seat again, washed my hands in the toilet, and returned to my seat.

I've taken this trip several times, and it'll take about 3 hours from the station nearest to my house to the terminal. Back then, I would read books, listen to music, space out, record down the ideas I thought of, or work on my laptop.

I never thought that I would be seated side by side with my female classmate (though she's a year younger), chatting non stop.

And she's a voice actress, to boot.

And she's actually acting in the anime adaptation of my novel.

 

“Kept you waiting!”

“I waited for you! Now then, please go through the process after the finalization!”

“I'll feel very relaxed after the finalization's done, freedom, a sense of liberty, like 'Great! It's over!' Some authors will say stuff like 'feels like I just broke out from hell'. Well, but my thinking's more like 'okay, time to write the next work'.”

“...Eh? You aren't going out to play?”

“Right now, I feel that I'm enjoying myself writing. When I first finalized my script, I had a sense of accomplishment over having finished something, so I think such a feeling will prompt me to work on the next story.”

“A-a workaholic? Are you a workaholic, sensei?”

“I guess...but as I said before, the work doesn't end here.

 

Now then, what'll happen to the manuscript after it's finalized?

After the editor-in-charge does the final checks, there's a need to do a cross check.

The manuscript will be printed in the exact layout as the print book, and they are then handed to the reviewers.

“Reviewers...what are they?”

Nitadori asked. It's not commonly heard, so I guess it's not strange for her not to know.

“Reviewers means that they check whether there's a mistake in the work. That's what they do.”

“Oo...”

“There's also the term proofreaders. Have you heard of it?”

“I think I heard of it. Is there a difference?”

“I got curious once and checked on it. There's actually a major difference between them. Simply put, proofreaders check that the original manuscript is the same as the printed work.”

“Eh? What about reviewers? Is there another work?”

“Reviewers check if there are mistakes in the Japanese, whether the plot is logical, whether there are factual inaccuracies, all kinds of checks, actually.”

“What are factual inaccuracies...any examples?”

“For example—”

I spent three seconds thinking of a good example, and said,

“Assuming that I have a line in the text 'I'm head to the capitol of USA, New York City.”

“So the reviewer will point it out to you, saying, 'the capitol's actually Washington D.C.. You made a mistake'. Right?”

“That's right. But...this line may be correct.”

“Yeah. It'll be correct, if it had just gained independence, that is.”

Nitadori answered without thinking, and I was really surprised by it.

I read through many books, and accumulated lots of useless trivia, but I never expected Nitadori to actually give the correct answer immediately.

“Correct...back then, the capitol was New York City. If the story's set in that era, it's correct not to edit it in that situation. The reviewers have to be particular about that. Of course, if there's a mistake in the information the author found, and wrote it as 'Capitol, Philadelphia', the reviewer too has to say 'looking at the year and date, the capitol's still in New York City' and point out the error.”

“Wow. This job's tough—I see. So that's why the original manuscript has to be handed for a professional check.”

“That's the case. On a side note, the term required is review, but some authors can understand if you use the term proofread.”

 

When I debuted, I too didn't know the difference between review and proofread, and of course, I couldn't differentiate between the two.

In the following explanation, there'll be certain professional terms. For experienced authors and editors, those might be common terminologies, but they might be foreign to most ordinary people. In other words, most people who just became authors won't be familiar with those terms.

“Erm...what does that mean?”

A rookie will keep asking the editor-in-charge this question as they create their won work.

I too couldn't explain what I was doing when I was doing the first 4 volumes or so. The editor-in-charge was just telling me 'edit it like this. Then this.” and I would follow.

 

“Erm, there'll be some professional terms used later on...”

I prefaced with those words, and explained,

“The book and the manuscript printouts are both called 'Galley proof', or simply 'gally'. More people will use the term 'galley', and I've been using the same term too.”

“Galley...what does that mean?”

“Well, I too was curious as to why it's called 'galley', so I did my research through the internet.”

“The internet's really convenient. And so?”

“After that, I found that the term originated from a Galley ship. It's an old type of ship, with many oars on the flanks, and the slaves or soldiers will keeping rowing. That's called a Galley.”

“Galley, is it? Such a term can refer to a kitchen on a boat or a plane.”

“You really know your stuff, Nitadori.”

“Eh? I'm glad that you're praising me, but there's no benefit of that, you know?”

“I'm just stating my honest thoughts. Not really praising you there, actually?”

“Besides, I got lots of things I don't know of. Not as impressive as the internet, at least.”

“You're being humble again.”

“Okay, keep on talking.”

“Okay, continuing on, why is a galley ship involved with printing—”

 

Back then, when talking about printing, it'll refer to the movable type printing.

“What's that?”

“Eh? That's...”

She's not acting humble now, is she?

Movable type printing refers to the use of metal word molds, line them up, and then use that to print. It's a lot easier than to 'copy' or 'woodblock printing', where the printing can't work if a part of the mold can't be used.

This was one of the three great inventions that prompted the European Renaissance (the other two being the compass and gunpowder). Humans were able to provide books for more people using such a cheap, quick manner.

“I see...”

“You never attended history class in middle school?”

“Well...I guess I probably fell asleep back then? Anyway, please continue with the Galley ships.”

A single word required movable type blocks, so there's a need for many of these to print out an entire page. Once the words are chosen, people will put the words on the platter. That platter has something to do with the ship, so people call the ship Galley.

I don't know who said it, but someone from somewhere once said,

“It's really crammed and packed inside, like the oars of an old Galley ship haha.”

Anyway, that's what happened.

The term galley ended up being a term used to check if there is an error printing the words.

And people began to call it galley proofing, a review of the manuscript.

Galley printing soon became used for reviewing script, and then it became a 'reviewed manuscript'.

In this example, people in modern society no longer use printing techniques, and they're all printed from a computer, but the term used in the past still lives on.

“Eh...I learned something.”

“Well, that doesn't really involve an author's work actually...”

“I know what's reviewing now. Will this come out in the test, sensei?”

 

We're off-topic, so back to the point.

“Erm, which part did I explain to...?”

“To the part where your manuscript becomes a basis for comparison, and handed to the reviewer'.”

“I see, thanks.”

“Don't mind.”

Once the review script's printed, it'll be handed to the reviewers.

This action is called 'first check'. It's the first check (or review), so that's the term.

The next one's called the 'second check'.

The first and second checks refer to the actions,

But sometimes, it can also refer to the review script, so it gets a little complicated.

From here on, I wouldn't omit the 'script' part when talking about it.

So when the reviewers print the first review script and do all kinds of checks—

I'll receive a 'duplicate'. To be precise, it's a duplicate copy.

Anyway, it's the exact same printed copy as the one sent to the reviewers.

As the author, I'll have to reread this manuscript and check through it.

This action's called the 'author's corrections', or simply put 'author's review'.

Basically, at this step, I just need to 'check for missing, or incorrect words, check if there's anything else wrong.

“But then, the more I look at the paragraphs or text, the more I'll take note about them. I've reread it many times when writing, but I'll keep finding parts where the text, or pacing is worse off.”

“What will you do in such situations?”

“I'll try to correct it as best as I can.”

It's a printed story, so I need to mark out the parts that need correction in red pen, and note down how I'm supposed to go about doing it.

On a side note, correcting the manuscript with a red pen is also called 'red correction'.

 

When editing the manuscript, the editor-in-charge will use what's called a 'correction symbol'.

These are symbols designed to accurately convey how to correct the text. For example, if there's a need to swap the top and bottom lines, he'll use a reverse S shape symbol. The top lines will be on the top of the lines, and the bottom line at the bottom.

I didn't know that at all, so I wrote down a rather complicated, unique method of correction.

And the editor-in-charge kept asking me.

“So, what does this mean?”

 

Leaving aside the correction symbols,

If I'm holding a first review duplicate copy, and I want to make major changes to it no matter what,

And my biggest thought is “I want to rewrite this page!”

“Can you do that?”

Nitadori asked.

The answer is yes, I can.

“It's actually not that impressive...there's a method called 'swapping entire pages'.”

As the term implies, I'll rewrite what I want to rewrite, and send an email saying 'please use this for page OOO). Sometimes, I'll end up swapping out many pages.

“But...I do think it's best to avoid major changes like 'swapping pages'.”

That's because that if I'm to make full page changes at this phase, the page will end up not passing the first review.

I thought the act that if time allows, I hope to improve the manuscript.

But if I don't tell myself,

“That's enough. It's complete.”

From time to time, I'll end up correcting it over and over again.

It's ideal to finish the work at the finalized part.

“Though I think this way...”

“But life isn't that easy, huh?”

 

“Now then—once the reviewers finish the first review, the review copy will be returned back to the editorial branch. Thus, I'll finish the author's review before the deadline.”

I divert my topic back to the process.

“I have to do two things. First is to hand the manuscripts with my red marks to the editor-in-charge, and second, to check through the first review the reviewers did.”

Nitadori titled her head, asking,

“Hm? I get the first one...but why the second?”

 

When reviewers find out an extremely obvious error during the checks—

For example, like 'there's no period at the end of the paragraph', 'the furigana's completely wrong', they'll correct it with red pen.

But there are times when the reviewers end up 'unable to tell if it's wrong', and they'll mark the questionable parts with pencil.

Basically, only the authors can edit the text.

The editor-in-charge and reviewers won't make changes at will.

I have to be in charge of the red marks, and also answer all the issues marked in pencil.

“Then, what kind of issues will the reviewers point out?”

“All kinds of them—”

In fact, every reviewer has their own style of pointing out issues, and the frequency of them.

The reviewers of Dengeki Bunko are basically outsourced, so I can't tell if they're all done by the same people.

I don't know the reviewers names, and I don't know what kind of people they are.

But if I have to say something—

Thank you for everything you did.

 

“The most common issue here is probably the difference between the words displayed, and the furigana. In other words 'mismatched terms'.”

“Mismatched terms...for example?”

“At a certain point, the term 'produced' can be read in three different ways, and the terms used my be different elsewhere, or the katakana for bodyguard isn't consistent. In katakana terms, some add the black 'middle dot', and some don't.”

(TN: Bodyguard can be read as 'ボディーガード' or 'ボディガード'. Just a lengthened middle for the first. Produced can be read as '生みだす', '生みだす' or '产み出す'. All three are read as Umidasu)

“I see.”

“Also, there are often cases of people pointing out the strange use of 'Teniwoha'.”

“Teniwoha'?”

“That's...basically the usage of particles.”

“Women? Girls?” (TN: 助詞 and 女子 have the same pronunciation, Joshi, じょし)

“No, how am I supposed to use girls?”

“Erm...for bad things?”

“I'll get arrested by the police, so don't say it. The particle here refers to the Japanese particles used to help convey the meaning.”

“Ah, ahh...I know that.”

“You should be knowing that, right?”

“I-I guess? So in other words, the use of particles is called 'Teniwoha', and some people will point your mistakes in them, right?”

“Right. When I'm too engrossed, the particles gets weird, like I can't differentiate between the use of 'ga' and 'ha', and that's still okay. Sometimes, there are lines that don't look Japanese at all...most of the problems will be pointed out by the editor-in-charge, and the missed parts will be corrected by the reviewers.”

“I see. Anything else?”

“Anything else...like a basic, stupid mistake...it's embarrassing talking about it...but I did mess up on the characters back then.”

 

Even I didn't know why I would be making such mistakes.

When writing the 5th volume of Vice Versa, I kept mistaking the names of two characters, and it lasted for 20 pages.

The bearded old man's using female pronouns, and the beautiful lady's saying things like

“I'd say that I don't understand.”

Once the editor-in-charge pointed it out, my face paled. I really wonder what'll happen if the book's published like that…

 

“Also, I did make such mistakes before...8 people fall into a hole. 3 died. How many people escaped?”

“If we're not considering that Shin died, 5.”

“Yeah, this is elementary math. In the original manuscript however, it ended up as 4...”

“Wow...”

“It's fine for you to laugh out loud, you know?”

“No need for that. Anyone can make mistakes.”

“Thanks. Sigh, I got such mistakes pointed out several times. Also, when 'the author does the author check', I'll definitely use a pencil or a mechanical pencil.”

“Why?”

“Because the editor-in-charge will be making corrections in red pen at the top, indicating 'this problem appeared before, and I corrected it'. I heard that this stuff will be kept.”

“Eh!?”

“So I typically use a multipen with red and black ballpoint inks and a mechanical pencil function. I keep it with me at all times.”

“Ohh! You brought it along today too? What does it look like?”

“Wait.”

I stood up to show her the real thing, turned my body around, and reached for the rack.

There's a pen pouch attached outside the bag, and I had two of them stuffed in there; one of them's a spare. I took a pen, sat down, and handed it to Nitadori.

“Oh, so this is your good partner, sensei? Looks classy!”

Nitadori marveled in an ostentatious tone. Actually, this is cheap stuff, nothing too fancy. I guess they do sell them in convenience stores too.

“So in the future, when your memorium is built, this pen will be used for display, right?”

No, that's not the case.

Speaking of which, I never thought about building a memorium or something. If someone has that much money, please use it for aid relief.

I stick that pen into the chest pocket, and continue explaining,

“I'll hold my mechanical pencil and check through the first review that went through checking. Sometimes, I'll add some stickies if there are problems, but I'll typically flip through the entire manuscript page by page.”

And then, assuming that I can see the parts from the reviewers,

and if I agree to them, and hope to make such changes in the text,

I'll use the mechanical pencil to mark the part with a large circle, writing 'please do this'.

In contrast, if I feel there's no need to correct it,

I'll mark it with a cross.

Sometimes, I'll write down 'please leave it as this'

“Please leave it as this?”

“It has nothing to do with mothers.”

(TN: Text has it as Mama de. You know what Mama is.)

“Ah, I see.”

I'm really grateful to the corrections by the reviewers, but there are a lot of parts I wish to maintain. Looking at my situation, there are some moments where I'll leave strange Japanese in the conversations, so I'll mark all those suggestions with crosses.

And so, I continue to flip through about 150 pages per volume, (around 300 pages per book), checking through them.

Sometimes, there are moments where even I can't decide.

For example, the reviewer points out a kanji similar in meaning, but I don't know which one's appropriate.

In that situation, I won't make a decision for the time being, place a sticky there, and first crumple up the edges of the review manuscript.

Once all the checks are done, “About this—” I'll ask the editor-in-charge, and leave it to him to decide.

 

And at this point, I remember there's something I forgot to mention.

“Ah, about the location where the first review check is done—”

“It's not at the editorial branch?”

“Hm, it's basically there the prior year. I typically head to Tokyo for meetings, so I'll make time to do the author checks. During 10th grade however, I couldn't head to Tokyo because of this work, so I could only do this through mail. Once the first checks are done and sent to me, I'll send it back along with the author checks.”

“I see.”

“And if there are parts the editor-in-charge can't get, he'll give me a call, and I'll tell him directly on the phone. Over there, the first review will be done, and another step before publication is completed.”

“ But there's still a need for another review, right?”

“Yeah, there's still a second review.”

 

In the second review, I'll have to repeat the process.

Once the parts pointed out by the first review are edited, it'll become the second review.

The reviewers get the second review, and I'll get the duplicate.

In the second duplicate, I'll have to check if the edited parts are completely okay. This will be called the second author check.

And to check the second review manuscript the reviewers checked, as an author, I'll head to the editorial branch (or contact through mail again).

In the second check, there's a high chance of new issues pointed out. This includes the parts missed the first time, parts I chose to maintain from the first review, and so on.

I'll again use the mechanical pencil to mark circles or crosses.

“The two review jobs all collectively called Galley checks.”

“Hearing you say that, it sounds really troublesome.”

“In fact, it is.” I grumbled.

“I had to widen my eyes and look for mistakes. It's very tiring.”

“I know.”

“But...such work's unavoidable if I want to publish a book without errors.”

“I see. Good work.”

“Th-thanks...”

“Is it finally over?”

“No, there's still something the author has to do.”

“There's still more? Erm, what is it?”

“What's left for the author is to write the afterword, put a recent photo of the author, write an author introduction, and check the illustrations.”

 

Writing the afterword.

The afterword's basically a necessity in any light novel. It's imperative to write it.

In terms of content, typically, it's about 2 to 4 pages. Some have it at 1.

Basically, the author's free to write whatever he wants in the afterword, anything as long as it doesn't taunt society or the masses.

In this world, there are authors who get the stage to show off their talents, and they'll work hard on writing it—

But to be honest, I'm bad at writing afterword.

At first, I was still decent. I debuted, and was grateful to everyone, really grateful.

With that emotion, I wrote out all my emotions, spending 2 pages of it.

After that, I ended up not knowing what I should write.

Even if I wanted to write about myself like other authors, I couldn't be saying that I'm a high school kid, or that I'm taking a break from school.

To be honest, I really found it difficult writing afterword, “This isn't good! That isn't good!” always groaning and writing. If I'm past 20, and there's a bill passed stating 'afterword are forbidden', I might give it a vote.

 

“I see...I never thought it would be that difficult...”

“It's so difficult it's annoying. It's said that an essay allows room to showcase an author's personality, so I'm rather curious as to how the readers will view it...”

“Looking at it, I'll guess you're a college student...”

“That's not too bad, I guess. On a side note, the 10th volume's to be published at the same time the anime's air—the afterword for that volume contains thanksgiving to all those involved in the anime production.”

“So when's the deadline for the afterword?”

“Actually, the ideal is that it's sent to the publisher along with the finalized manuscript, and that it can be checked together...if I can't make it, I'll send it during the first review, and at latest, the second review.”

“I see.”

“I did hear from senior authors that there's another way to submit it later, after the second review.”

“I can't imagine it...how?”

“First off, leave a few spaces for the parts meant for the afterword. It's said that the afterword finished later won't be deemed an essay, but an illustration, a picture, and it'll be inserted. Those authors that want to change, play with the playout and add some flavor will use this method.”

“So...in other words, it's fine even if you're either using pictures or written manuscript?”

“Sorta, I guess...?”

“Then, how?”

“How? As in?”

“Don't you want to try writing your afterword handwritten?”

“Erm...nobody will be able to decipher it, you know?”

 

Once the afterword's done, there's a need for the author's recent photo and introduction.

For Dengeki Bunko, such content will be contained at the flap under the cover (reverse side).

The author photo is to follow a 30 x 32 format, and any photo or illustration can be put there.

Actually, the author's actual photo should be there, as it's called the author's recent photo.

But in Dengeki Bunko, or rather, in the world of light novels—

Few authors will actually put their own photos, for obvious reasons.

There are all kinds of patterns, and most of them are basically photos of pet, things, or illustrations.

For illustrations, some might get the novel illustrator to do one for the author, or that the author may ask an acquaintance to chip in.

There are those who have artistic ability, and draw their own illustration.

“But sensei, aren't you using a photo of a 'keyboard'?”

“Yeah.”

In the author's recent photo from the 1st to 9th volume, I've been using the photo of the keyboard I first bought. Some authors will do the same thing, so I think this is rather overdone.

These photos were taken from the smart phone I bought back then, and the photo for the 1st to 3rd volumes are all the same. After that, I wanted to make some changes, so starting from the 4th volume, there were some minor changes every time. Even so, the keyboard's the only thing I took photos of.

Nitadori then reached her hand into her handbag.

“Wait here.”

She took out a light novel.

And once she did, I could tell what it was. Unmistakably, it's the first volume of 'Vice Versa'.

I could see many little stickies inside the book. Nitadori probably read through it thoroughly for the After Record, and it's really delightful.

She looked at the first volume's photo, and stared at me, saying,

“To be honest, you don't look alike.”

Of course.

I answered.

“I'm older now.”

It's really delightful to humor someone.

And publishing a book that moved a reader will certainly elevate this happiness.

 

Placing the first volume on her thighs, Nitadori asked,

“Leaving aside whether it's the author closeup or not, what about the introduction at the bottom?”

“That too is for the author to do whatever he wants.”

Dengeki Bunko's column is to have the large author name right below the closeup, and below that one's the author introduction.

This part uses the horizontal format, and (typically) ends in 5 lines, 24 letters per line.

It's an author's introduction, and I'm supposed to write some age (or year I was born in), a brief summary, and so on—

Amongst the works in Dengeki Bunko, this column is where authors get to do whatever they want.

Most authors will report on recent events over here, so the content will change in every volume.

“It's really tough having to write this...why do I have to change the content for every volume...no, it's not that there's a need to change, but everyone just seem to do this...”

And I ended up in full grumbling mode.

I really don't want anyone else seeing this 'author complaining to a girl younger than he is'.

“Tough, isn't it? Okay, okay.”

Argh, now she's actually comforting me. This is embarrassing. Good thing she didn't pat my head.

“But I have to keep my personal particulars a secret. There's nothing recent I can report on.”

“You're right.”

<strong>The forest outside really is filled with autumn</strong>, or,

<strong>I really love snow, because the world becomes peaceful</strong>, or,

<strong>The cherry blossoms have bloomed. I really want some dango</strong>, or,

I'll write these thoughts based on the seasons, but I'm running out of ideas.

“And so I thought, I might as well wing it.”

“Wing what?”

“'The 3rd child's born, and it's a girl'. Or, 'it's been a week since I moved to Germany. The beer's nice'. Or stuff like that.”

“HAHAHA!”

I guess I struck a laughter chord in her, as she's laughing out loud.

“Sensei, sensei. What about this? <strong>A girl younger than me caught my secret, and is blackmailing me</strong>.”

“Alright, using that for the 10th volume.”

“HAHAHAHA!”

After laughing for quite a while, Nitadori then said,

“The next part...is to check on the illustrations.”

“This part isn't that difficult, or rather, I'll say it's a delight.”

The illustrator did his best to draw pictures for me.

No matter whether it's CG or hand-made, the editor-in-charge will send it to me in a compressed folder, or get me a download link.

In terms of order, the illustrator will first finish the colored cover illustration, since it can't be published without a cover. Next, the opening color illustrations, followed by the black and white illustrations in the text.

After checking through the illustrations, I'll immediately approve it if there aren't any mistakes.

“Are there situations where it's NG?”

“Yes. Just a little.”

The rare situation refers to,

Mistakes on the specific character in the color illustration.

Where the position of the name tag is incorrect.

Where the text has it as right side, but it appears as left side on the text.

It's this kind of mistakes.

I get to enjoy the illustrations earlier than others, so I'm always looking forward to it.

“Wait, sensei! You say it like it's nothing, but if that's a mistake, isn't that serious? If the right and left side are reversed...”

“It's not that bad.”

“Wh-what do you intend to do? What did you do back then?”

“Change the text.”

“Ehhh?”

“I didn't explain this part before. After sending out the second manuscript, I'll print out a 'white copy' to compare it to the manuscript. The illustrations will be done before the electronic preview's done, so I can fix the parts where the sides are reversed.

“...Really can't imagine that. But if you can't fix it in any way, what will you do?”

“In that situation, I'll let it slip. It's common for illustrations to differ from the text in novels.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“The illustration check's done...I guess this should be over.”

I said a lot on this day.

I've been explaining for more than 2 and a half hours.

The train entered the city, headed straight down the straight. Many have got off the train midway through, and the carriage's empty now.

The woman, whom Nitadori cast the spell on, managed to successfully get off the train through the anti-magic installation called the 'cellphone alarm'.

“Thanks for today...no, it's interesting today too.”

She said as she placed the first volume into her bag, nodded to thank me. She'll hit me if she nodded towards me, so she nodded forward.

“No need, no need.”

I too nodded forward towards the seat in front of me.

But even so, there's still another 20 minutes until we reach the terminal.

I'm finding it unbearable not talking out of a sudden.

I can't do idle chat, let alone be bad at it.

And so, I said,

“Well, I guess you'll have to wait till next week for the more complicated questions. I still have time to answer some simple stuff, so is there anything?”

“Really? Then, I want to ask something that's unrelated to today!”

“What is it?”

“Do you receive a lot of fan letters?”

 

“I do receive a few, but I'm not sure if that's a lot.”

I state my honest thoughts.

What can be considered more? I never discussed this with other authors, so I don't know.

But I'll accept most of them gratefully.

“Then, what do you think.”

“Hm...I got more female fan letters.”

It's said that the main demographic for light novels is men. Leaving aside books targeted at women, that is definitely the case for Dengeki Bunko.

But even so, there are works that are very popular with girls.

Based on the fan letters, the readers for 'Vice Versa' is basically 50:50 between male and female.

I originally wrote what I wanted to see, so I never actually wrote anything that would pander to either side.

But I typically won't write erotic scenes that are obviously targeted at boys, and this obviously doesn't have anything to do with me being unable to do it.

As for why it's popular with females, I suppose it's due to the two protagonists, Shin and Sin.

“This party story's brimming with passion!”

Another editor-in-charge, not mine, used to say that to me.

Leaving that aside, I analyzed,

“I guess it's because, girls really aren't bashful writing letters to me?”

“Then, what's written on the letters...?”

Nitadori asked courteously, but I still can't answer it honestly.

I do think that letters are something the recipient should personally receive, and only the sender and I can know of its contents.

 

But even if I do say so, in fact...others would have already read the fan letters.

Because the editorial branch will check through them.

At the end of the pocket book, there'll be a line 'you're welcome to provide your valuable feedback and thoughts on this book'. The readers will then see the official homepage, and the lines 'please click on the 'reader questionnaire'.

Right below it are the columns 'Please send the letter to', which is the editorial branch location. As for the 'for OOOO', there's a need to fill in either 'my name', or the 'illustrator's'.

The readers will send letters to the editorial branch, so the editors will first check through.

And so, by the time the letters reach me, the letters are all open.

Why, you ask?

The editors are to check if there's anything dangerous inside, but the main aim is to remove any letters that'll obviously demotivate the author or the illustrator.

There are all kinds of people in the world, so I guess this is something that had to be done.

 

While wondering how I'm supposed to answer Nitadori's question—

I ended up with the conclusion that, 'I can only tell her'.

“I won't tell anyone about the content of the letter. It's a secret between the sender and me'.”

“Is that so? I see. Sorry.”

Nitadori easily gave me leeway.

To be honest, it's great that she's saying this. After heaving a sigh of relief, I guess it's fine for me to talk about some trivial stuff.

“But the readers are sending me letters, so the contents are basically cheering me on. As an author, I really feel gracious and delighted. Before I read each letter, I'll put my palms together, and then I'll open it.”

It's true. I treat every single letter as a small household altar.

“I suppose the senders are happy that you're doing that.”

Nitadori giggled. She's not looking down on me, but actually delighted for me.

 

There are fan letters that left quite an impression of me within these two years.

And there were two of these that shocked me so much, I'll never forget about them. (Of course, I can't tell Nitadori this)

 

The first letter's the one I received soon after I took leave from school, last April.

However, I didn't know if I could call this a fan letter.

"Actually, I'm wondering if I should be sending this letter to you...looking at your personality however, I suppose you'll like this one."

The editor-in-charge said this to me, and handed me the letter in the editorial branch.

Feeling tentative, I was wondering 'what kind of letter is it' as I kept reading, and I found it to be rather shocking.

There were several pieces of paper in it. The words are very neat and pretty, and it started off,

“Hello for the first time. I am Shin. I don't know how you knew that I was in Reputation when I was young...I'm shocked.”

In other words, that's a letter from Shin.

And then, there's a lot of these stuff continued on.

At first, he said about how shocked he was when he first read 'Vice Versa'—

And then he said that he's very old now, but he really did miss the times back then—

Many of his classmates had already departed for the afterlife—

Till this day, he would continue to talk on the phone with Shin, who conquered the entire Reputation.

That he understood very well some parts were different from his memories, because the author respected the privacy of him and his friends, and he really thanked them earnestly, and so on—

Anyway, this letter's pretty interesting from top to bottom.

The sender's a 74 year old male from Hokkaido.

Till now, I don't know if that man actually wrote that letter for real, or was he writing such a massive prank to make the author laugh.

But I guess the letter's so interesting it doesn't matter, and I read it again a few times.

Till this day, I'm wondering if he'll send a 'continuation', but it never came.

“Now that I'm advanced in age, I can see the end of my life. I'm going to head to Reputation and live an immortal life there.'

Based on what was written there, I supposed he's already over there.

 

The other letter,

Was rather grim in content.

This letter was earlier than the one aforementioned.

It was during October, 2 years ago, 2 months after I debuted.

Back then, I received some fan letters about the first volume. I was delighted, and read through it a few times.

A certain day, the editor-in-charge contacted me.

"I sent a few fan letters to you, and one of them has a sticky on it; it's fine for you not to read if if you're scared of being uncomfortable. I do think you'll be happy to read it until the very end however, so I'm sending it to you."

That was what he informed me on the phone.

Soon after, I received those fan letters.

One of them had a sticky attached to them.

First off,

I was surprised that it was a letter sent through air mail.

The sender's in a foreign country, and the name's completely Western.

There's a katakana name attached to the letter, and I learned that the sender's a woman called 'Stella Hamilton'.

The letter's completely in Japanese, and I was completely stunned. It's not as nice as the real Mr Shin afterwards, but her words are rather pretty.

The content.

Really was grim.

I feel, that amongst all the fan letters I received, this one's the heaviest.

In the letter, this girl called Stella's studying in 11th grade.

And she got bullied at school.

Her appearance naturally attracted the attention of many, and she was bullied since Elementary school.

She did live in Japan before because of her parents' work. In Japan, she was bullied for 'being a foreigner'. Even though she currently resides in her parents' native country, she still remained bullied.

Her parents never thought that this daughter of theirs would end up like this, and she did not dare discuss this with her parents, so she was anguished within.

She had several instances of wanting to commit suicide.

She wondered, since life was so full of pain, what's the point of continuing to live.

That was the content of the letter.

 

Having read this, I felt my gut sink.

"Why's such a person sending such a letter to me?"

I was skeptical.

Back then, I was still in my first year of high school. I wanted to say 'what hopes does she have for a 16 year old boy wearing a school uniform?' At the same time however, I thought 'ah, but this Miss Stella doesn't know about it', and so, I flipped the letter over.

And then, I found it to be a fan letter after all.

Starting from the 4th page, the text became lively, and it recorded the situation as to how she bought the first volume of 'Vice Versa', and her personal book review of it.

She came to Japan in the summer, and bought 'Vice Versa' and other mangas at an anime shop in Akihabara.

She really liked Japanese manga and anime, but it was the first time she tried reading light novels. It really was a coincidence that she would reach out for 'Vice Versa'.

And then, she really enjoyed herself. She was able to forget all the time and pain everyday.

She was really able to find some semblance of joy in her arduous life.

<strong>Thank goodness I didn't die. As long as I live, I'll be able to find happiness, so I'll continue to work hard from now on.</strong>

<strong>I'm really looking forward to your exciting works. I'll definitely buy it when there's any continuation. I'll ask for acquaintances in Japan to purchase this for me.</strong>

That was the content of the latter.

And added in the postscript was,

<strong>Shin and Sin are cool, but I prefer the strong, suave Pluto and the courageous Meek.</strong>

I hope that they'll be more active.

 

I'm a guy who won't cry even after reading a book or watching a movie, and till now, I've yet to cry.

But once I read this fan letter, I nearly broke into tears.

I was touched.

"After seeing your book, I'm glad that I've yet to die."

There's a foreign woman, older than me, actually saying such things to me.

I once decided never to respond to any reader fan mail.

At first, I was wondering if I should reply to all the readers, or not at all, and I chose the latter.

2 months later, I broke the oath. I sent an illustration to this Stella Hamilton.

To promote sales, Dengeki Bunko will create postcards every month and put them in the shops for sale.

Back then, the 2nd volume was being sold, and luckily, 'Vice Versa' was nominated as one of the works with postcards made.

I received a sample from the editorial branch, and there's the cover illustration of the 2nd volume on it.

The cover back then was a scene of Shin in his school uniform and Sin in his battle armor, glaring at each other. There's two volumes of 'Vice Versa' then, but only these two appeared on the cover. In Dengeki Bunko, it's rare to see the covers with only male characters on them.

Well, it's to be expected that the cover isn't Pluto or Meek, but I did sign on that postcard. It's the signature the editor-in-charge asked me to practice, and this was the first time I did it in a non-practice situation, the first time for a reader.

To avoid making a mistake, I cautiously wrote down the name Miss Stella Hamilton in English, and checked it a few times.

I didn't know what to say at all, and there wasn't much space, so I just wrote the words 'thanks on it!'. I suppose these are the prettiest words I've ever written in my entire life.

It was the first time I actually sent a mail by air, but since the postcard wasn't returned to the sender address, the editorial branch, I suppose this Miss Stella Hamilton did receive it.

And then, she never sent me a letter again.

However, to me, this one reply to a fan letter was unforgettable to me.

At the very least, there's another letter in the 'fan letter security case'.

 

"Now then, can i ask you something? Have you responded to a fan letter till this day?"

I was thinking about those things, so when Nitadori suddenly asked me, I was taken aback.

"..."

I remained speechless, and after a while, I realized I had no need to tell the truth.

I only did reply to Miss Stella Hamilton.

But even the editorial branch didn't know about it.

I'm not good at lying,

And neither am I good at acting.

But,

"N-no, not at all."

I showcased my worst act at this moment.

Clearly, I looked like I was acting no matter how it seemed.

Nitadori seemed a little startled upon hearing this reply, and then, she beamed in delight,

"Really~? You never replied to anyone else? Like for example...a young girl?"

Is this girl an esper!? A magician!?

I do think this should be a coincidence, but my heart still raced with Nitadori stating that.

"No no no...not at all…? Because, I decided, not to reply to any letters. If there's any reply to the letters, I'll be very, very troubled, I guess."

I felt that the response I gave before was already so terrible, but this was worse. The records for the worst just kept getting broken.

But I could only pass this through with lies.

No matter how bad my acting was, Nitadori had no proof.

[[File:Toolong018.jpg|thumb]]

"Anyway, I guess I probably won't be sending any replies. It'll affect my work anyway."

Finally, I was able to speak Japanese. It sounded really haughty however. What kind of person do I think I am?

"Hm...I see."

Having finally stopped Nitadori's interrogation, I was soaked in cold sweat, leaning my entire body on the back rest, and I heaved a deep sigh.

I really couldn't act.

And I'll never act again.

I decided that if I have to act again,

I'll flee the scene immediately.

 

‎I'm a High School Boy and a Bestselling Light Novel author, strangled by my female classmate who is my junior and a voice actress.

This is my current predicament.

She—

Eri Nitadori continued to strangle my carotid pulses with her icy hands.

Her hands were really cold, and I could feel it from both sides of my head.

I laid on the ground, and she was sitting on me. The only thing appearing in my eyes was her upper body.

That would be the arms outstretched for my neck, her face, and the black hair reaching down the sides like curtains.

Her sobbing face was facing away from the light, and it looked a little dim, very tragic.

The tears, excessive as they piled within the inside of the glasses, continued to slowly fall and drip on my cheeks.

She slowly spoke up, probably to say something. After gasping, she said,

"W—"

It sounded really long.

"H—"

But it probably was very fast, in fact.

"Y—"

I guess It was extremely slow after all.

Why?

Why did it end up like this?

The final lights before death continued to flicker by my eyes.

<strong>To be continued…</strong>

<noinclude>
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| Back to [[This_title_is_too_long!:Volume1_Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
| Return to [[I%27m_a_High_School_Boy_and_a_Bestselling_Light_Novel_author,_strangled_by_my_female_classmate_who_is_my_junior_and_a_voice_actress|Main Page]]
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|-
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Hai to Gensou no Grimgar

2015-09-02T07:13:23Z

Chocolatkey: /* Level 2: Everything is Precious, Nothing is Replaceable */ updated chapter list

{{Status|Active}}

[[Image:Grimgal_V1_cover.jpg‎|thumb|200px|Volume 1 Cover]]

'''Hai to Gensou no Grimgal''' (灰と幻想のグリムガル) is an action and fantasy novel written by Ao Jyumonji and illustrated by Eiri Shirai. The series is currently ongoing with 5 volumes released.

==Novel Summary==
Before Haruhiro had realized what happened, he was surrounded by darkness. Why was he here? Where was here? Even now, he still didn’t know. Those around him were the same as him, no one remembered anything other than their own names. And when they emerged from the darkness, the world that awaited them seemed like something out of a videogame.

In order to survive, Haruhiro forms a party with the others, learns fighting skills, and as a soldier in the reserve force, takes his first steps into the world of Grimgal. What awaits him there, he doesn't know…

This the story of an adventure born from the ashes.

== Updates ==
*12/07/2014 – Chapter 8 released.
*12/14/2014 – Chapter 9 released.
*12/21/2014 – Chapter 10 released.
*12/21/2014 – Chapter 10 released.
*01/11/2015 – Chapter 11 released.
*01/18/2015 – Chapter 12 released.
*01/25/2015 – Chapter 13 released.
*02/01/2015 – Chapter 14 released.
*02/08/2015 – Chapter 15 released.
*02/22/2015 – Chapter 16 released.
*03/01/2015 – Chapter 17 released.
*03/08/2015 – Chapter 18 released.
*03/15/2015 – Chapter 19 released.
*03/25/2015 – Chapter 20 released.
*04/05/2015 – Chapter 21 released.
*04/20/2015 – Chapter 22 & 23 released.

==The ''Hai to Gensou no Grimgal'' series by Ao Jyumonji==

This novel is hosted from [https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/ Nanodesu].

'''All main links below are external links to [http://nanodesutranslations.wordpress.com/ NanoDesu]'''

===Level 1ː A Whisper, an Aria, a Prayer, an Awakening===

[[Image:Grimgal_V1_cover.jpg‎|right|border|300px]]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/color-illustrations// Illustrations]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-0-6/chapter-0/ Chapter 0]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-0-6/chapter-1/ Chapter 1: Without Knowing Anything]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-0-6/chapter-2-lost-and-out-of-options/ Chapter 2: Lost and Out of Options]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-0-6/chapter-3-yorozu/ Chapter 3: Yorozu]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-0-6/chapter-4-enjoying-life-in-a-guild/ Chapter 4: Enjoying Life in a Guild]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-0-6/chapter-5-rendezvous/ Chapter 5: Rendevous]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-0-6/chapter-6-1-1-warrior/ Chapter 6: +1/-1 Warrior]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-7-13/chapter-7-slow-start/ Chapter 7: Slow Start]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-7-13/chapter-8-persistence/ Chapter 8: Persistence]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-7-13/chapter-9-heavy-resolution/ Chapter 9: Heavy Resolution]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-7-13/chapter-10-damroww/ Chapter 10: Damroww]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-7-13/chapter-11-dont-go/ Chapter 11: Don't Go]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-7-13/chapter-12-where-to-turn-now/ Chapter 12: Where to turn now?]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-7-13/chapter-13-crucial-piece/ Chapter 13: Crucial Piece]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-14-20/chapter-14-silvers-gold-coin/ Chapter 14: Silver's Gold Coin]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-14-20/chapter-15-apologies/ Chapter 15: Apologies]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-14-20/chapter-16-aiming-for-the-top/ Chapter 16: Aiming for the Top]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-14-20/chapter-17-to-hold-dear/ Chapter 17: To Hold Dear]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-14-20/chapter-18-her-reasons/ Chapter 18: Her Reasons]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-14-20/chapter-19-ad-interim-tomorrow/ Chapter 19: Ad Interim, Tomorrow]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-14-20/chapter-20-not-quite-glories-of-the-goblin-slayers/ Chapter 20: Not-Quite-Glories of the Goblin Slayers]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-21-23/chapter-21-the-fine-line-between-innocence/ Chapter 21: The Fine Line Between Innocence]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-21-23/chapter-22-our-offering-to-you/ Chapter 22: Our Offering to You]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-21-23/chapter-23-prologue/ Chapter 23: Prologue]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/afterword/ Afterword]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/appendix/ Appendix]

<br style="clear:both"/>

===Level 2: Everything is Precious, Nothing is Replaceable===

[[Image:Grimgal_V2_cover.jpg‎|right|border|300px]]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/level-2/color-illustrations/ Illustrations]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/level-2/the-story-so-far/ The Story So Far...]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/level-2/characters/ Characters]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/level-2/chapters-1-5/chapter-1-a-different-level/ Chapter 1: A Different Level]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/level-2/chapters-1-5/chapter-2-inept-executive/ Chapter 2: Inept Executive]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/level-2/chapters-1-5/chapter-3-the-law-of-non-inertial-inertia/ Chapter 3: The Law of Non-inertial Inertia]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/level-2/chapters-1-5/chapter-4-pitch-black-style/ Chapter 4: Pitch-Black Style]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/level-2/chapters-1-5/chapter-5-container/ Chapter 5: Container]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/level-2/chapters-6-10/chapter-6-taking-the-long-way-around/ Chapter 6: Taking the Long Way Around]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/level-2/chapters-6-10/chapter-7-leave-it-to-the-master/ Chapter 7: Leave it to the Master]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/level-2/chapters-6-10/chapter-8-grasping-beyond-reach/ Chapter 8: Grasping Beyond Reach]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/level-2/chapters-6-10/chapter-9-let-go-of-jealousy/ Chapter 9: Let Go of Jealousy]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/level-2/chapters-6-10/chapter-10-not-supposed-to-be-cool/ Chapter 10: Not Supposed to be Cool]
* Chapter 11:
* Chapter 12:
* Chapter 13:
* Chapter 14:
* Chapter 15:
* Chapter 16:
* Chapter 17:
* Afterword
* Appendix

<br style="clear:both"/>

==Project Staff==

*Supervisor: N/A
*Project Manager: N/A

===Translators===
ACTIVE
*[http://nanodesutranslations.wordpress.com/ NanoDesu]

===Editors===
All editors who speak English proficiently are welcomed.
*Page Checkers: N/A
*Proofreaders: N/A

== Series Overview ==
*灰と幻想のグリムガル level.1 ささやき、詠唱、祈り、目覚めよ (22 JUN 2013, ISBN 978-4-90-686622-9)
*灰と幻想のグリムガル level.2 大切じゃないものなんか、ない。 (22 NOV 2013, ISBN 978-4-90-686647-2)
*灰と幻想のグリムガル level.3 思い通りに行かないのが世の中だと割り切るしかなくても (22 MAR 2014, ISBN 978-4-90-686669-4)
*灰と幻想のグリムガル level.4 導き導かれし者たち (24 JULY 2014, ISBN 978-4-90-686691-5)
*灰と幻想のグリムガル level.5 笑わないで聞いておくれよ (24 FEB 2015, ISBN 978-4-86-554026-0)

[[Category:Hosted Projects]]
[[Category:NanoDesu Translations]]
[[Category:Light novel (English)]]
[[Category:Ao Jyumonji]]

CtG -Zero kara Sodateru Dennou Shoujo-:Volume1 Illustrations

2015-09-02T07:06:29Z

Chocolatkey: /* Characters Introduction */ cleanup

==Novel Illustrations==
These are the illustrations included at the start of Volume 1.
<gallery>
Image:CtG v01 Cover.jpg
Image:CtG v01 img001.jpg
Image:CtG v01 img002.jpg
Image:CtG v01 img003.jpg
Image:CtG v01 img005.jpg
Image:CtG-Charater Bio.jpg
Image:CTG Charater Bio 2.jpg
Image:CtG vol 1_00010.jpeg
Image:CtG vol 1_00012.jpeg
Image:CtG vol 1_00013.jpeg
Image:CtG vol 1_00014.jpeg
Image:CtG vol 1_00015.jpeg
Image:CtG vol 1_00017.jpeg
Image:CtG vol 1_00018.jpeg
Image:CtG vol 1_00021.jpeg
</gallery>

==Characters Introduction==
{{Image label|image=CtG v01 img004.png|width=800|float=left|margin=0.4em 0pt 1.3em 1.3em|link=File:CtG v01 img004.jpg|alt=}}
<div style="font-family:cursive;text-shadow: -1px -1px 0px white, 1px 1px 0px white, 1px -1px 0px white, -1px 1px 0px white;">
{{Image label|x=544|y=35|text=<span style="font-size:14px">Real Life</span>}}

{{Image label|x=448|y=160|text=<span style="font-size:15px">Kasugai Yuu</span>}}
{{Image label|x=724|y=160|text=<span style="font-size:15px">Clamp</span>}}
{{Image label|x=448|y=180|text-align=left|text=16 year old high school student. His mother is the creator<br>of "CtG", but due to circumstances he now lives all alone.<br> In CtG he's called the "Clamp of Scarabaeus".}}

{{Image label|x=448|y=328|text=<span style="font-size:15px;">Kugimiya Miharu</span>}}
{{Image label|x=732|y=328|text=<span style="font-size:15px;">Mifa</span>}}
{{Image label|x=448|y=348|text-align=left|text=A high school girl. She lives together with Yuu whom she<br>has just met. Even though she's bad with guys, in CtG she<br>has a strong personality. Her chest is large both in-game<br>and in real life.}}

{{Image label|x=448|y=496|text=<span style="font-size:15px;">Haruha</span>}}
{{Image label|x=714|y=496|text=<span style="font-size:15px;">Haruha</span>}}
{{Image label|x=448|y=518|text-align=left|text=Clamp and Mifa's daughter born in "CtG". She shows up in<br>the real world?}}

{{Image label|x=244|y=100|text=<span style="font-size:15px;">Kodzuchi Fuyufu</span>}}
{{Image label|x=186|y=120|text-align=left|text=Yuu's childhood friend. She<br>often calls Yuu, who's a loner<br>"Yuubocchi", but actually has<br>feelings for him.}}

{{Image label|x=55|y=244|text=<span style="font-size:15px;">Niiro Mansei</span>}}
{{Image label|x=57|y=261|text-align=left|text=A mysterious man who's involved with <br>Haruha's birth. He won't take off his<br>glasses even when inside a room.}}

{{Image label|x=260|y=374|text=<span style="font-size:15px;">Hajime Hidari</span>}}
{{Image label|x=185|y=392|text-align=left|text=Second mysterious person involved <br>with Haruha's birth. A charming older <br>woman who often takes care of Yuu.}}
</div>
{{Image label|end}}

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Return to [[CtG—Zero Kara Sodateru Dennou Shoujo|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[CtG -Zero kara Sodateru Dennou Shoujo-:Volume1 Prologue|Prologue]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Mother of Learning:Volume 01 Chapter 026

2015-08-26T20:37:39Z

Chocolatkey: /* Soulkill */

=== Soulkill ===

The temple was just as imposing as it had been the last time Zorian had visited it – the same guardian angels glaring down at him, the same deserted feel to the building and the same creation story carved into the heavy wooden doors. This time he studied the carvings on the door with more interest than he had done the last time, however, since some of the images were rather interesting in light of things he had discovered after his first visit. Specifically, some of the bottom carvings depicted monsters that sprung up from the World Dragon's flaking heart and these monsters were clearly primordials. They had the whole 'impossible patchwork creature' look that seemed to be the primordial's one defining feature, and they matched the descriptions of well-known primordials he had read about in the books.

The unholy cross between scorpion, dragonfly and a centipede was clearly Hynth, the Locust Lord, whose bronze carapace was impervious to just about everything but divinely-forged weaponry and whose four pincers could tear steel like paper. The ability to release clouds of biting, devouring insects from pores on his body that devastated the countryside for kilometers around the thing, all while the primordial tackled anyone strong enough to stop them completed the image of a living natural disaster. The cluster of wings hanging above Hynth was probably Ghatess, who was allegedly a ball made out of multicolored bird wings – and only bird wings – and created storms and tornadoes wherever it went, funneling matter into the center of its sphere where it seemed to just disappear without a trace. The boar/crocodile/porcupine thing was Ushkechko, a beast made out of indestructible black glass that poisoned anyone who so much as scratched themselves on one of its numerous bladed protrusions and could fire said protrusions like arrows at opponents. The slug-like entity covered in eyes and mouths was-

"Can I help you with something, young man?"

Zorian wrenched himself from his scrutiny of the door to look at Batak. The last time he had been here he had asked to speak with Kylae, but this time the man in front of him would suffice. He might even be preferable, considering Kylae was supposed to be a master diviner. He gave the man a nervous smile and spoke.

"I… wanted to have a talk with you, if it's not too much of a problem."

"Of course!" the man said happily, quickly ushering Zorian inside. Zorian recalled from last time that the temple didn't receive many visitors. It must be a pretty lonely existence to serve as custodian of this place. Before long they were both seated in front of a small table in the kitchen-like room that Batak used to receive visitors, a prepared tea pot steaming in front of them.

"So… What did you want to talk to me about?" Batak said after some small talk, raising his cup to his mouth and taking a long sip.

"I wanted to ask about primordials," Zorian said.

Batak promptly choked on his tea and spent the next few seconds coughing.

"Why *cough* would you want to know about them?" Batak asked incredulously.

"I'm… not sure I should tell you. I don't want any trouble."

Batak gave him a curious, impassive look, but Zorian sensed a note of worry in his mind.

"Well, I'm not sure whether you know or not but there is a rumor spreading around that some people are going to try to disrupt the summer festival," Zorian began.

"I've heard about that, yes," Batak sighed.

"Well, a few days ago I went with some friends into the upper levels of the Dungeon to do a job for a client. A simple find and retrieve job, but we ended up running into an underground base full of war trolls and nearly died in the process. The police are keeping it very hush at the moment but I understand their investigation revealed it wasn't the only base down there. Somebody had spent months preparing a beachhead for this attack and they have a lot of assets to burn…"

After more than an hour of explanations and clarifications, Batak seemed to accept that the attack was something a lot more serious than he had thought and (more importantly) that it was just a distraction for an attempt at primordial summoning. Thankfully, everything Zorian was telling him was totally true so whatever method of truth detection the man was using returned his explanations as genuine. The fact that Kylae had a prediction blackout around that time probably did a lot to legitimize the claim in the priest's eyes, since the successful summoning of a primordial could be the reason for her divinations failing. Which was actually why Zorian came to this temple in particular, rather than, say, the main temple of the city.

"I'll notify the church hierarchy, they should be able to spare a squad or two of investigators to check it out," Batak said. "Especially if they have solid proof rather than just an anonymous tip. Do you have anything in writing, perhaps?"

"Here," Zorian said, retrieving a stack of documents and notebooks from his bag and handing them over to Batak. "This is everything I have about the invasion. I tried to be as thorough and methodical as possible. I'd really prefer if my name was not mentioned anywhere, though."

Batak eyed the stack speculatively. "I cannot guarantee that. If you your name comes up during the investigation-"

"It won't," Zorian interrupted.

"Well, then I don't foresee any problems," Batak shrugged. "A bit odd of you to have so much information on this group if you're not a defector from their ranks."

Zorian said nothing.

"Alright," Batak said, perking up and shaking his head slightly as if to clear it. "Are you still interested in hearing about the primordials or was that just a ploy to get my attention?"

"I'm still interested, yeah," Zorian said. "I'm really curious why they felt the need to organize all this just to summon one."

"To be fair, I don't think knowing more about the primordials will satiate your curiosity in that regard," Batak said. "Anyone who wants to summon one of these things is clearly insane. But no matter – tell me, what do you know about the primordials in the first place?"

"They're some kind of powerful spirit hailing from ancient times," Zorian tried. "Like fey or elementals, only older, weirder and far more dangerous."

Batak sighed. "I knew you were going to say that. In the future, when you're interested in some aspect of the spiritual world, please consult religious texts first before delving into mage-written works. I know the church can be a little biased about a lot of things, but we really do know our stuff when it comes to the spirits and everything related to them. Ever since the gods fell silent, spirits are the only thing we have left, so we have done some extensive work on them. And we don't hide it much either."

Zorian nodded sheepishly. It never even occurred to him to look at religious texts on the topic. He blamed his town priest back in Cirin, who was a bigoted old hypocrite that kept making problems for Zorian whenever they crossed paths and consequently soured the Church as a whole for him.

Batak drummed his fingers on the table for a few seconds, gathering his thoughts.

"Alright. First, let me tell you something about actual spirits. I'm sorry if this is already familiar to you, but I need to get it out there to explain why primordials absolutely cannot be spirits."

Zorian motioned for him to continue.

"Spirits are, from a practical standpoint, divided into two main groups: outsider spirits and native ones. Outsiders spend most of their time in their own spiritual worlds and can only ever enter ours if summoned by someone from this side. Demons and angels are the most famous of outsider spirits, though lumping all demons into a single group is mostly done by humans for human convenience – there is no demonic equivalent to the angelic hierarchy and two demons are as likely to fight each other as they are to cooperate on a common goal. Native spirits are a multitude of spirits that exist on the material plane by default – you already mentioned elementals and fey, which are the two most common types of native spirits. It is likely that native spirits were once outsider spirits that gradually adapted to life on the material world, as they share the key feature that all spirits have. Namely, that they don't really have bodies the way humans and animals do: they are disembodied souls that need some type of vessel to contain them and allow them to interact with the world around them."

"So spirits are soul entities," Zorian mused. "Like liches or body snatchers."

"Yes, very much like that," Batak agreed. "In fact, some spirits are very much body snatchers and prefer inhabiting bodies of humans and animals. And it's likely that the process of transformation into a lich has been developed by studying spirits and the way they interact with their vessels. Anyway, primordials. Primordials have bodies. Actual, flesh and blood bodies. Most people, even mages, assume they're spirits because of their strange forms and great resistance to damage, but they really have more in common with dragons and other magical creatures than with spiritual entities. Spirits tend to be weird because their bodies are usually just ectoplasmic shells, which they can twist into whatever unnatural form they feel like taking. Primordials are creatures of the material world, just like you and me."

"But wait," Zorian said. "If primordials are not spirits, but some kind of strange magical creature, how are the attackers planning to summon one?" asked Zorian.

"They don't," Batak said. "I didn't want to interrupt you while you were talking, but you almost certainly misunderstood something there. Primordials can't be summoned, since they're down here with us already. Bound, forced into sleep and locked away, but still with us. What they can be is set loose."

Zorian felt a shiver run down his spine. The primordial wouldn't disappear, he realized. The Ibasan invaders thought they were summoning a fancy demon to go romp over their enemies, but that thing was never going back to its home plane on its own. It didn't have one.

"Why were they sealed away?" Zorian asked. "Why not just kill them?"

"Primordials don't die the way most things do," Batak said. "They are a remnant, a relic of the age when the world was still fresh and the World Dragon had only just been bound at the center of our world. They are her original children, the purest expression of her rage and hate, and they have found ways to strike out at humanity and the gods even in their death. They spawn smaller, weaker primordials in their death throes, and often inflict corrupting effects on the area in which they died. Even the gods found the aftermath of one of them dying to be difficult to deal with, so they eventually just contained the lot of them and trapped them in far corners of the earth."

"And the attackers believe one of them is in Cyoria," Zorian stated.

"Apparently," Batak said. "I wouldn't know personally – no one has ever seen one of these prisons within living memory and written records are deliberately vague about their locations. Still, Cyoria had effectively been 'a far corner of the world' up until relatively recently, historically speaking, so I suppose it's possible. Strange that no one had ever found any indication of it in all this time, though, considering how many mages delve into the depths of the Hole on a regular basis…"

"I see," Zorian said. He excused himself soon afterwards. While interesting, this truthfully didn't change much and his task had already been done.

- break -

Zorian was feeling pretty pleased with himself for organizing this little event. While setting up Kirielle for a meeting with Novelty was done purely for amusement and sheer curiosity at how Kirielle would react to Novelty's antics, introducing Tinami to Novelty was… well okay, it was also mostly done for the sake of his curiosity and amusement. But that didn't mean he didn't take advantage of it to gain something from little Miss 'forbidden magic' Aope. Like, say, getting her to teach him the invisibility spell. He knew, just knew that Tinami had been taught how to cast that spell, restricted magic or not, and he was totally right! So now he had finally completed his 'list of spells every proper mage should be able to cast', and all it took was promising to do something he had intended to do for free, anyway.

And the cherry on top? Novelty loved him for promising to bring her two new humans to meet. He didn't need to make it up to her in any way, because she thought he was doing her a favor!

Yes, Zorian was feeling very pleased with himself. Now all he had to do was wait with Kirielle until their two guests showed up and then stand back and watch the fireworks. Novelty would come first and meet with Kirielle to start with, since that meeting was bound to be shorter and more casual, and would then remain to greet Tinami when his classmate eventually showed up at Imaya's place. There shouldn't be any problems, but just in case there were problems and they somehow degenerated beyond his ability to handle, Zorian had arranged for a for a bit of insurance…

"So aranea are about the size of a dog?" Kirielle asked.

"A big dog," Zorian said. "But Novelty's not scary at all, and I'm sure you'll get along splendidly. She reminds me of you, actually."

"A giant spider reminds you of me?" Kirielle asked him, sounding surprisingly threatening for a 9-year-old.

"You'll find out why soon enough," Zorian said, more amused than anything. "She's coming over as we speak."

He had been devoting only half of his attention to his conversation with Kirielle, trying to train himself to pay attention to his mind sense and talk at the same time, and had thus immediately noticed Novelty when she came in range, despite the fact that she had tried to dim her mental presence to surprise him. He immediately launched a telepathic attack on her and she promptly dropped her attempt at stealth in favor of a short mental wrangle that resulted in Zorian being quickly booted out of her mind. Despite his poor showing, Zorian was pleased. He had been doing such 'greetings' for a few days, ever since he realized that Novelty didn't consider such telepathic 'play-fights' hostile, and compared to his initial results, this was absolutely amazing.

It was kind of amusing how Novelty refused to actually teach him telepathic combat due to the matriarch's orders, but had no problems helping him practice in such a fashion. In fact, after his first few attempts, she sometimes even initiated such impromptu telepathic combat herself, or tried to stalk and surprise him like she did today. He supposed she didn't think of it as teaching – it was just a game as far as she was concerned. She would be rather cross with him if she ever caught him thinking it, but she really was still a child in many respects.

[That was barely any better than yesterday,] Novelty complained, apparently not sharing his optimistic self-assessment. [This is why I think we should have went with my idea for teaching you. It would have been a million times faster than our lessons so far.]

[You are not locking me in one of your hatcheries,] Zorian told her.

[But you'd have left a master of telepathic combat within a week!] Novelty protested. [Well, master by human standards, anyway.]

[No,] Zorian responded. He suddenly became aware that Kirielle was tugging on his shirt. "What is it, Kiri?"

"You drifted off," she said.

"I was just talking to Novelty," he said. She looked at him oddly. "Telepathically, I mean."

"Oh," Kirielle said, her eyes widening in realization. "I'm so jealous you can do that. I wish I could talk to people without being overheard. It would have been so helpful around mom."

"Don't I know it," Zorian sighed. "So many things would have been easier if I could have done that earlier. Though maybe it was a blessing in disguise – a lot of people back in Cirin would have freaked out if they started hearing voices in their head and mind magic abuse is punished very harshly by the mage guild. Anyway, let's go introduce you to Novelty."

To her credit, Novelty hadn't immediately rushed in towards Kirielle and started to crawl all over her. To Kirielle's credit, she didn't immediately scream in fear and try to hide behind him upon seeing a huge black spider hop into the room. Instead, the two of them faced each other square on, standing a good deal of distance from each other and carefully scrutinized one another.

[A mini human!] yelled Novelty telepathically, breaking the stand-off. [Great Web, she so much smaller than you! Can she even talk yet?]

"W-What!?" Kirielle protested. "Of course I can talk! I even learned how to read and count last year! What do you think I am, a baby!?"

[Oh, you can talk, that's excellent! Excellent! I actually was afraid you were a baby,] Novelty admitted, skittering left and right to take in Kirielle from different angles. [Not that there is anything wrong with being a baby, but I got assigned as a babysitter for soooo long and it gets soooo boring after a while you know? They're all so needy and grabby and they never know anything interesting…]

"Um, yeah," Kirielle said. She shot Zorian a suspicious look, but he was maintaining his impassive facade through superhuman will. His lips only twitched into a smirk once she returned her attention back to Novelty. "I guess I can understand that. But I'm definitely not a baby anymore! I'm nine years old, and that's a lot!"

[Wow, that is a lot!] agreed Novelty. [You're only a year younger than me! How come your brother is so much bigger than you, then?]

"He's… older than me?" Kirielle tried. "Wait, if you're ten, aren't you just a kid like me?"

[No way!] Novelty protested. [I went through the maturation ceremony last year, so I'm totally an adult of the tribe and no one can say otherwise!]

Zorian watched as Novelty and Kirielle went through a clash of cultures in miniature, gradually coming to an understanding of sorts. They both complained about not being taken seriously by people around them (it was a mystery as to why; no, really) and exchanged some information about their respective species. Zorian actually learned a few new things about the aranea that he had never really thought to ask about. Apparently aranea had a lot shorter lifespan than humans did, with 55 years being considered positively ancient. He knew they could spin webs from before, but apparently the webs weren't at all involved with hunting prey and were instead used exclusively as construction material to make walls, bridges, etc. He had also thought they were fully subterranean in nature, with only Cyoria's colony interacting with the surface so heavily, but it turned out they all preferred to hunt on the surface and only used the Dungeon to build their settlements in.

Eventually, Novelty decided to try her luck and approached Kirielle which resulted in his brave little sister immediately backpedaling and cutting the meeting short. Not that Zorian was very surprised by this turn of events at all – if anything, this went a lot better than he thought it would. Hell, Kirielle even indicated she might not be adverse to the idea of another meeting in the future.

[Aww,] Novelty wilted, drooping pitifully over the couch she can currently occupying. [I scared her away.]

"She did say you could meet her again in a few days," Zorian pointed out.

[But I wanted to talk some more,] Novelty telepathically pouted.

"Just give her some time to digest the whole thing. And don't try to hug her next time."

[But humans love hugs! I totally read so in one of your books!] Novelty protested.

Zorian thought about explaining to her that that wasn't universally true among humans – his parents were never really big on physical contact, with any of their children, really, and Zorian didn't remember the last time he was hugged by anyone other than Kirielle. Not that he was particularly crazy for hugs himself, mind you. He decided against it.

"I'm afraid that aranea just don't have what it takes to give a proper hug," Zorian nodded sagely. "Sad but true."

[Do we really look so ugly to you humans?]

"Scary," Zorian corrected. "The word you're looking for is 'scary'. You probably shouldn't have spent so much time lovingly describing how your fangs can easily punch through bone and hardened leather or how you kill your prey by driving said fangs into your victim's neck and severing the spine."

[But cats do the same thing, and cats are cute! You explained so yourself!]

"And then you butted in to note that cats are 'yummy', thus completely invalidating my attempt to make you seem less threatening," Zorian noted.

Novelty sent him an unintelligible telepathic message accompanied by a note of annoyance. Zorian just shrugged and went back to his book while they waited for Tinami to show up.

- break -

"Oh. My. Goddess," Tinami said, staring at Novelty like she was the best thing ever. "She's beautiful!"

[Well yes, I don't want to sound arrogant but I have been told I'm quite a looker,] Novelty preened, standing a little straighter and trying to look more dignified.

"And she really does talk telepathically, just like the stories say!" Tinami exclaimed. She turned towards Zorian. "Wherever did you meet one of them? How did you befriend her? Can I touch her? Do you think she'd teach me her ways if I ask? Do you-"

"I don't think I'm capable of pulling off the 'yes, yes, no, yes' routine so one question at time, please," Zorian said. "Also, most of those questions you should be asking Novelty here instead of me."

"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be disrespectful and ignore you," Tinami said, turning back to Novelty. "I was just excited and it felt natural to talk to the guy who brought me here. To be honest, I was half-convinced this was his idea of a prank and already had a little curse prepared-"

"Hey!" Zorian protested. "That's totally illegal!"

"-but I guess it won't be necessary now, and that's probably for the best," Tinami continued blithely, like she was not interrupted at all. She took a deep breath. "I'm Tinami Aope, by the way."

30 minutes later, Zorian found himself unceremoniously booted out of the room so they could have some privacy. Ungrateful scum, the both of them. He considered spying on them with a scrying spell but considering their conversation mostly consisted of Tinami fawning over Novelty and the young aranea feeling very smug about the attention, he really wasn't losing much. He remained close by for another half an hour, in case of possible problems springing about, but after a while it became obvious he wasn't needed (nor much wanted) and entered the room to tell them he was going for a walk.

The moment he was far enough from Tinami that he could no longer feel her on the very edge of his mind sense he found a quiet corner and shrouded it in some basic anti-divination wards.

"You can come out now," he said to no one in particular. The matriarch promptly stepped out of the nearby shadowed corner, fading into visibility. The trick was somehow less impressive now that he could duplicate the feat and become invisible himself. "So?"

[She is neither a time traveler nor is she connected to the invasion in any way,] the matriarch said. [And as far as she knows, neither is her family.]

Zorian nodded. He had expected that – the Aope were part of Eldemar's ruling elite and tied far too tightly into its power-structure to participate in a wild stunt like this invasion, and Tinami was too genuine to his senses to be constantly pretending - but it was nice to have a confirmation. "You had no problems with her mental defenses?"

[She had them, but they were of the wrong sort, much like the 'advanced' ones you demonstrated to Novelty,] the matriarch said. [I'm certain she hadn't noticed my intrusion, and I've done nothing except look so there should be no traces left for anyone to find.]

"There is no way for her to have fooled you?" Zorian asked. "I've read plenty of stories where people are pretending to be dominated by a spell cast by the villain, and then surprise him by a stab in the back once they let their guard down."

[Must be a human mind magic thing. I can't see that sort of thing happening to a psychic. Well, unless the target has constructed a fake mind on top of their real one and fooled the attacker into thinking it was the target's actual mind. But that almost never happens. Constructing a fake mind that is actually convincing is really, really hard.]

Zorian blinked. He hadn't even known that constructing 'fake minds' was possible.

"Well, sorry I bothered you with this, I guess," Zorian said.

[Nonsense, it was a reasonable suspicion and I actually found a number of useful details by trawling through her mind. Not only is her family not at all friendly towards the invaders, they are likely to be quite annoyed about their plans. Cyoria is their powerbase and they don't want it ruined. And since Novelty is back there, charming the young Aope heir, we will have an easy way to get in contact with the Head of House. Getting such a prominent Noble House on our side will guarantee that the evidence of an invasion plot is taken seriously. Have you spoken to the priest?]

"Yes," Zorian confirmed. "He said the church would send someone to look into it."

[Yet another proof of our legitimacy,] the matriarch stated with satisfaction.

"Hopefully I won't get pulled in for questioning," Zorian said. "I don't think my half-truths and understatements could stand up to professional investigators."

[My web is trying to divert any ongoing investigations away from you, so it shouldn't be much of a problem,] the matriarch said. [We've already ambushed and killed three different investigation groups by the Cult of the Dragon Below, and we've been subtly redirecting official Cyorian investigations towards us.]

"You?" asked Zorian in surprise.

[It has been decided to turn this restart into something of a testing run,] the matriarch explained. [As I've told you before, my web's goal is to eventually reveal ourselves to the city at large and join the population as rightful citizens. While full disclosure would be too disruptive for what we're currently trying to achieve in this restart, we've decided to reveal ourselves to a number of prominent people in Cyoria during this restart – both to coordinate the response to the invasion better and to sound out their reaction.]

"And?" asked Zorian, honestly curious.

[It's a mixed reaction, and the fact we're bringing news of an impending invasion doesn't help calm people down. We've overheard several 'secret' meetings that discussed how to deal with us in a hostile manner, thankfully with the conclusion that they should wait until after the summer festival before doing anything, but also a couple of meetings that discuss how to profit from our presence.]

"Which you have no problems with," Zorian surmised.

[Nobody wants to kill the goose that lays golden eggs,] the matriarch said. [No offense to your kind, but I trust your greed more than I trust your compassion. I talked to Zach about that issue you wanted to talk about, by the way. You were right. He doesn't remember any restarts being cut short for any reason whatsoever – you dying doesn't seem to reset the time loop.]

"I knew it," Zorian said. "Even Zach would have realized something was wrong if he kept restarting every time I was killed before he was. This is more proof that Zach is the anchor of the loop."

Zorian had at one point toyed with the idea that there was an actual mind behind the time loop – a god that decided to break the Silence, perhaps, or some kind of very powerful spirit. However, there were a lot of little ways in which the situation matched better with the idea of the time loop being a spell of some sort and none was as clear as the way the spell was treating time traveler detection. Clearly, on some level, the spell knew it was Zach who was the anchor of the time loop and that everyone else was a tag along. However, at the same time, it could get easily confused (via a little soul blending) into including multiple people into the awareness of the loop. That sounded more like a dumb spell function trying to reconcile incompatible directives with each other than a willful, intelligent mind making a judgment call.

The trouble was, a spell implied a human caster. And a human caster shouldn't be able to roll back time once, much less repeatedly.

[If we managed to provoke the third time traveler into revealing themselves, most of the questions about the time loop should be answered easily enough,] the matriarch noted. [I suspect they know what the time loop is and how it functions.]

"Yeah," agreed Zorian. "Let's hope so."

- break -

Days passed. When Zorian was not attending to one of his numerous obligations (he'd never try to do so many things at once in the future!) he alternated between creating the various traps and items needed for the ambush of the third time traveler and helping the aranea root out the cranium rats from the city.

Picking the ambush site and preparing it had fallen mostly on Zorian's shoulders in the end. The aranea knew how to make traps and ambushes, of course, but most of them were based around lethal force or mind magic assaults. Considering that the third time traveler almost certainly knew how to counter aranean mind magic and that they wanted him alive, little of it was useful for their purposes. Thus it fell to Zorian to design something that would contain and disable their target, or at least distract them until the aranea could strip them of their mental defenses and do their thing. Kael contributed by helping Zorian make a mixture of powerful alchemical sedatives for disabling purposes and the matriarch served as his assistant since she was the most capable aranea when it came to structured magic and knew a lot about the local mana flow of the settlement. She would also be the one to lead the execution of the actual ambush with her fellow aranea, so she had to be extremely familiar with how the trap was going to work.

In the end, Zorian decided upon a three-part trap, set in the middle of the aranea settlement. The first part was a fairly exotic effect on the floor that turned stone temporarily liquid. The effect would only activate for a moment, immediately shutting off and turning the stone back into a normal solid state once the target sunk to their knees into the rock floor. As far as Zorian could tell, there was no easy way for a mage to get themselves out of the rock once the effect ended. The spell couldn't be dispelled any more than the ashes of a fireball-destroyed book could be dispelled back into a pristine state, and trying to blast the rock off was liable to blow the caster's legs along with it. The only convenient way of getting out was to phase or teleport out, which is why the second part of the trap was a dimensional lock that would shut down most dimensional shenanigans. Finally, the last part involved dousing the combat area with smoke infused with the powerful sedatives Zorian made with Kael's help.

It was a bit simple, but Zorian had read that the best plans are always simple. Just in case, though, he had built backup traps in several other aranean caverns. These were a lot less sophisticated ones, though, and boiled down to 'explosions'. A whole lot of explosions.

Aside from that, Zorian had made a great deal of combat equipment for the aranea participating in the ambush: shielding discs that they could strap on to their body to shrug off some of the weaker attack spells, stone cubes and alchemical vials that produced a variety of effects when set off, and some equipment for himself and a handful of mercenary mages that the matriarch discreetly hired as additional muscle during the ambush. Of course, in an ideal scenario Zorian wouldn't have to fight anyone at all and the equipment he made for himself would be a useless waste of time… but really, what are the chances of an ideal scenario? Things had been going a little too well for him as it was.

As for the hunt for the cranium rats, that had actually been his own idea, and he had been pleased that he had thought of something the aranea, with all their connections and psychic might, hadn't. The basic idea was to capture one of the rats and then use that specimen as a connection for divining the location of the rest of the rats. Not quite a novel idea to the aranea, but they thought heavily in terms of mind magic and tried to follow the telepathic links connecting the captured rat to the rest of the hive mind – something that quickly failed, since the main collective promptly cut the connection with any captured rats. Zorian, on the other hand, used good old locator spells – divinations meant to find and keep track of all sorts of things, so long as the caster had something connected with what you're trying to find. A cranium rat, even if disconnected from the collective, was sufficient for those divinations to work. Zorian ended up following the connections until he located the main bodies of the cranium rats' swarms (there had been 4 of them, as it turned out) and then, with a handful of aranea acting as support and psychic powers suppressant, herded them into tight formations that could be wiped out with a single fireball spell. By the end of the month, the cranium rats had been effectively wiped out.

When he was finished torching the fourth rat swarm, one of the aranea assigned as his body guard during the operation told him she finally understood why humans were supposed to be so scary and dangerous.

Zorian wasn't the only one who was busy. Kirielle persisted in trying to learn magic, more stubbornly and diligently than Zorian had ever seen her. She was doing very well for a complete beginner, but the sad fact was that she was closer to him in talent than, say, Daimen or some other child prodigy. Novelty had become something of an unofficial liaison between the aranea and House Aope, and was as a consequence subjected to a crash course in diplomacy and proper conduct by the matriarch – something she constantly complained about to Zorian whenever they met. Tinami, for her part, was much more interested in her lessons with Zorian once she found out some details about what being psychic means, and appeared to be working on some kind of personal project that consumed most of her free time. Zorian suspected, from the snippets of thoughts that briefly bubbled into her consciousness during their lessons, that she was trying to somehow artificially make herself psychic. This struck him as crazy dangerous, since it meant messing with your own mind and all, but that was House Aope for you. Kael was also pursuing some kind of personal project that he refused to elaborate to Zorian – though it apparently had something with spell formula because he kept borrowing Zorian's books on the topic. Zorian left him to his work – Kael had been incredibly helpful throughout the month, taking it upon himself to help Zorian as much as he could for some reason. Zorian didn't think it was just generosity and hadn't forgotten just how fascinated with the time loop the other boy was last time, so he wondered when the other boy would approach him about what he really wanted from Zorian.

Apparently, the answer was 'just before the summer festival'.

"Hello Zorian," Kael said. "Are you doing something?"

"Not really. I'm just waiting for Akoja to show up so that I can go to the dance," Zorian said. "There is no point in starting anything since she's bound to show up absurdly early. What is it?"

Ah, Akoja. He still wasn't sure why he had asked her to be his date for the evening. Probably because she gave every indication she wanted him to and he didn't want to make her sad for no reason. Not that she had actually come out and said it, though – hell, she even chickened out on the meeting she had arranged with him and made it look like she wanted some school advice instead of… well, whatever it was she had really wanted to talk about. Hopefully she would be a little less pushy this time around and the evening wouldn't end in as big of a catastrophe as it had the last time they went out for the evening.

"I have… a gift and a request," Kael said. Zorian mentally translated it as 'a bribe and a demand'. "First, I have been thinking about your stories of previous restarts and couldn't help but notice the presence of a powerful lich on the side of the invaders. Those are… very hard to deal with, especially with classical magic."

"But not with soul magic?" surmised Zorian.

"Well, sort of. It's not easy, even with soul magic, but there are some tricks you could pull on a lich if you knew how to mess with souls. The thing you need to remember is that a lich's soul is automatically pulled back into their phylactery when their physical form is destroyed. This is because destroying their body severs the link between their soul and their body… obviously, since there is no body to speak of anymore. Still, if you could sever the link between the soul and the body – something that is a lot easier to do with creatures whose soul is artificially connected to the body through magic – then their souls would be immediately be wrenched back to their phylactery, even if their body is technically intact."

"They'd be effectively banished," Zorian concluded. "It wouldn't kill them, but…"

"The process of possessing a new body is not that fast for a lich – they need a whole day at the minimum, and that's assuming they already have a new body ready to go. Banishing the lich back to its phylactery is as good as killing it, at least for your needs."

"You're telling me you can teach me a spell to do that?" asked Zorian excitedly.

"Well no," said Kael, promptly popping Zorian's bubble. "And it would be of dubious value even if I could. The spell requires you to touch the target."

Zorian winced. "Yeah, I don't see myself getting within touching range of the lich."

"So I got you this, instead," Kael said, handing him a small silver disc, reminiscent of a particularly large silver coin. Closer scrutiny, however, quickly made it clear it was some kind of a spell tool, being covered in spell formula instead of typical imagery common to currency.

"I don't have to touch the lich!" Zorian realized after thinking about the 'coin' for a few moments. "I just have to make sure the coin touches him!"

"Yes," Kael said. "I noticed your fighting style seems to be based around items, so I've imbued the spell into that disc… it should work but I make no guarantees so use it at your own risk. I tried to make it as small and non-threatening as possible, but…"

"But there is no way to be sure the lich will let it touch him," Zorian finished for him. "Trying to keep a strange item thrown by your enemy from touching you is common sense. I don't suppose that hitting the target's shields is sufficient, is it?"

"I'm afraid not."

"Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. Thanks anyway. What about your… request?"

"Well… the truth is I want a favor in exchange for helping you. I know you're almost certainly going to make further use of me in future restarts, and I have no problems with it… except I want to get something out of it too."

"I'm not sure what I can do for you that won't be rendered hollow by the restart, but okay," shrugged Zorian. "What is your wish, oh great Kael?"

"I want the same thing you're already doing – to use the time loop to improve my skills," said Kael. "In case of magic that require shaping skills and the like, this is clearly next to impossible without being brought into the time loop, but there is a magical discipline that is far less dependent on shaping skills. One that I happen to be quite good in."

"Alchemy," said Zorian.

"Exactly. Now, practicing alchemy on my level involved a lot of experimentation – testing the effects of your brews, improving them and designing of original concoctions. These things take a lot of funds and a lot of time, but once you have a recipe for a potion…"

"You want me to help you design finished potion recipes and then give you the result in subsequent restarts, thus allowing you to refine your recipes further and then take those results and-"

"Exactly!" Kael said. "And then, when the time loop ends, you're going to give me the fruits of this labor and I will have saved myself months, possibly years of my work! It will require you to delve more deeply into the intricacies of alchemy than you did currently, but I don't see that as being a big problem for you – you're clearly going to need it if you intend to rely on items so much."

As it turned out, Kael had spent most of the month running various experiments that promptly brought him a notebook with the results. There was a lot of text there, but Kael explained he only really needed him to memorize the last two pages, which listed which avenues of research were dead ends and outlined a partially finished recipe for some kind of anti-fever potion. Kael explained that giving him those results in the following restarts wouldn't just help Kael improve his craft, but would also allow Zorian to convince the other boy he was really a time traveler far faster than would otherwise be possible. And would also make Kael more willing to help, sooner (wink, wink, nudge, nudge, do you get it yet?). Not seeing the harm, Zorian spent the rest of the wait memorizing the results and then leafing through the rest of Kael's research notebook. It wasn't every day that a mage got to scrutinize another mage's research methodology, after all, and Zorian could use some pointers for the future.

"Zorian, your girlfriend is here!" Kirielle called, trying to sound teasing but just ending up mocking and annoying in the process.

"Coming," said Zorian, closing the notebook and going out to greet Akoja, who was trying not to look too awkward in front of Imaya and Kirielle. And failing miserably, as she seemed completely at loss how to deal with his sister's light-hearted teasing and Imaya's advice on what to do if Zorian got too grabby during the evening ('kick him in the crotch' seemed to be the gist of it). After a few minutes, he decided to have mercy on her and drag her away from those two so they could be on their way.

It was time to get this show on the road.

- break -

The evening had been doing splendidly. Akoja was still rather frustrating, but with the date not being a mission from Ilsa this time around she wasn't nearly as insistent on dragging him along to pointless introductions and the like and instead settled for criticizing him every 5 minutes and in general being far too self-conscious and high-strong for what was ostensibly a casual dance. As for the invaders, they were doing incredibly poorly. Zorian kept monitoring the situation through the telepathic relays he had left with the aranea and it was obvious that the whole invasion had unraveled at the seams. While the city didn't believe the invasion was of the scale described by the aranea and vastly understaffed their response forces (though as far as Zorian understood the city's reaction was considered a huge overreaction by a large portion of the leadership), they were prepared to respond to some invasion and to the attackers, who were a mere shell of their usual strength due to the lack of forward bases and a whole lot of assassinated leadership. There was no initial bombardment because the artillery mages had been ambushed before they could do their thing, the academy had opted to change their warding scheme so the attackers couldn't just teleport wherever they wanted to go, and their invasion routes were being actively contested by defending forces that continually swelled as the city realized the scope of the invasion and drew on all the combat assets available to it.

So saying that Zorian was surprised when the door to the dancing hall was suddenly and violently blown into bits, showering the unfortunate guests who stood too close to the entrance with a rain of splinters and concussive force, would be a vast understatement. A few moments later, before the dust had a chance to settle and screams died down, three people strode in the hall.

At the center of the three-man formation was the lich. It was just like Zorian remembered it: an imposing skeletal figure, its bones black and vaguely metallic-looking, wearing a crown and a suit of metal armor. In its skeletal hands it held a scepter, completing the royal-like appearance. To the left of the lich strode forth a woman clad in black clothing reminiscent of a military uniform –simple pants, a plain jacket with some kind of crest sewn in on it (it was too far for Zorian to see clearly, but it seemed to feature a skull as a prominent motif; who the hell actually puts a damn skull on their crest?), and heavy leather boots. All very bland and utilitarian, if somewhat sinister-looking due to its black color. She strode purposely forward, gripping a sword strapped to her belt, her expression stony and severe, and Zorian couldn't help but notice that her pale skin and coal-black hair (currently tied into a tight pony tail) made her seem somewhat vampire-like.

…she was a vampire, wasn't she? Gods, every time he thought the Ibasan force couldn't possibly look any more sinister they pull something out of their closet to show him that they totally could.

The final part of the triumvirate was a person in a blood red robe which covered him from head to toe. His face was invisible behind a patch of darkness that seemed to fill every open portion of the robe, obscuring the wearer's features. Unlike the lich and the vampire girl, who did their best to look dignified and imposing, Red Robe (which is how Zorian promptly named him in his head) walked carefully and scanned the shocked crowd with interest, his cowled head swinging left and right in search of something. Or someone, as it turned out: the moment his eyes locked onto Zach he immediately stopped and spoke.

"Him," Red Robe intoned, his voice magically distorted and resonant, pointing his staff at Zach.

As if to punctuate the statement, a small stream of war trolls and (brown) robed mages suddenly poured into the dance hall through the broken door, and everyone snapped out of their daze and realized they were under attack.

All chaos broke loose.

- break -

The plan Zorian and the aranea matriarch had made assumed that the third time traveler would attack Zach, overpower him and then pull the information about the aranea out of his mind. Zorian was not sure about a lot of these steps, but a big one was the idea that Zach could lose against the third time traveler so easily. For all his flaws, the other time traveler seemed to be a capable combatant.

It did not take long for Zorian to understand that Red Robe was the third time traveler, and the way he intended to beat Zach was immediately obvious – by not coming alone. Zach seemed to have problems tackling the lich on its own, and with Red Robe and the vampire girl joining the undead mage the outcome was never in question.

Admittedly, Zach was in a room full of mages who also fought against the three attackers, but the other forces they had brought with them served their purpose as distractions and tied down most of them. Kyron tried to help, as a couple of others, but they just weren't on the level of their opponents.

But they certainly tried. Kyron summoned some kind of glowing whip of force that severed the arm of the vampire girl at the shoulder and then used the same whip to fling her sword (which was clearly magical, burning with strange purple fire that ate through forcefields) out of her reach. It was this that finally confirmed his suspicions that she was some kind of undead, as her severed stump didn't bleed at all and the sudden loss of an arm only seemed to inconvenience her – she promptly pulled out a knife with the other arm and returned to attacking people again. Red Robe was actually bloodied by one of the students when they managed to overpower his aegis with a coordinated barrage of magic missiles, but sadly enough that stunt just about wiped them all out and he was sufficiently well after it ceased to take them down in response. As for the lich, he was utterly unfair – nothing seemed to scratch those bones of his in the slightest. Zach actually managed to blow his shiny armor to bits with some kind of black bolts and even knocked the thing's crown off its skull, but nothing ever made a mark on the bones. What the hell was that thing made of?

Zorian reluctantly didn't involve himself. The plan didn't call for it, and quite frankly he was likely to end up dead if he tried. He did help put down a couple of war trolls and disposable mages that ventured too close to his position, but other than that he just watched uneasily as Zach was slowly taken apart by his three opponents.

But things never go as planned. Eventually Kyron finally got tired of the one-armed vampire girl butting in on his fight with the lich and blasted her away. She landed next to Akoja.

He had gotten separated from Akoja earlier in the attack and decided not to go after her, since she was clearly terrified and would want him to stay away from any danger while he personally didn't intend to completely stand on the sidelines while people died. Now, however, the vampire girl suddenly decided to go after Akoja instead of rushing back into her original fight. Why? Hell if Zorian knew – maybe she wanted a hostage? In any case, Zorian immediately threw a low-yield explosive cube under her feet to halt her in her tracks and then poured most of his mana into an incineration beam aimed straight at her chest.

Beam spells weren't Zorian's ideal form of combat magic: they dealt a lot of damage, but they were also very mana intensive and it was easy to waste most of the beam's power on the surroundings if you couldn't keep the beam constantly on target. And in a room packed this tightly with panicky civilians, 'surroundings' often meant 'innocent bystanders'. Zorian knew that he needed to kill the vampire girl quickly, however, as she was extremely fast and her blades could cut through force fields with ease, meaning he'd get his throat slit the moment she got close to him, so he had to use the most damaging spell in his repertoire. Thankfully, she was sufficiently dazed by the explosion that Zorian didn't have any problems keeping the beam on target and he knew from watching her fight against Zach and Kyron that she was vulnerable enough to fire.

He kept the beam on her for full five seconds, reducing her to a little more than a heavily charred skeleton and a pile of ash.

Akoja seemed to be in shock, both at the sudden lunge towards her by a crazed undead woman and the brutal method of her destruction. The other students around him were watching him with a mixture of fear and awe, and Red Robe continued his fight against Zach without reacting. The lich, though…

Oh crap, the lich was staring at him.

Indeed, the lich took one look at the smoking corpse of the vampire girl and then locked its hollow eye sockets with Zorian seeming to look through him. Kyron used the moment of distraction to launch another one of those glowing whip-things that severed the arm of the vampire girl like it was paper, but instead of moving out of the way the lich simply snatched the whip out of the air with one of its skeletal hands, its finger bones closing around the thread of severing light with no ill effects that Zorian could see, and pulled. Kyron let the whip dissipate almost immediately, but not enough to maintain balance. The lich promptly fired an angry red beam of jagged light and drew a line between Kyron and Zach. They both went down in a spray of blood.

"Watch it!" Red Robe yelled. "That could have killed him! I told you I need him alive!"

"I grow tired of this," the lich responded. "He is alive enough for your purposes, and this way he'll struggle less. And you should watch your tone, little whelp – you're not the boss of me and I could kill you whenever I want without anyone batting an eye. Enough of your 'information' has turned out to be incorrect that your value is being questioned."

"I told you, we have a leak," Red Robe said. "That's why I need Zach intact."

"You don't need him intact to rip the information from his mind," the lich said. "Do your thing and be quick. There are already reinforcements from the city on the way here."

Red Robe seemed to want to say something, but the lich had already returned to scrutinizing Zorian some more and eventually simply bent down to Zach's motionless form and started casting some complicated spell before placing a hand on Zach's head.

Zach's motionless form suddenly blurred into action, as Zach revealed himself to have just been pretending to be unconscious and tried to punch Red Robe in the fact. Sadly, while Zach wasn't totally unconscious he wasn't in top form either, and Red Robe deflected the attack before slamming Zach's head into the floor several times until he went limp and then repeating the spell.

The lich chuckled hollowly. "Now who's being too rough? You could've cracked his skull with that stunt, you know? Living beings are such fragile things…"

"The aranea?" Red Robe said after a while. "I can't believe it, I'd never have thought those thrice-damned bugs would be… no matter, I have to go. Time to go tie some loose ends."

"The aranea were never part of the-" began the lich, but Red Robe already teleported away. "Hmph. I am killing that fool when I meet him later. He's more trouble than he's worth."

He turned back to Zorian after a few moments, and people around him edged away from him.

"I hated her, you know?" the lich said conversationally, pointing at the smoking remains of the vampire girl. "She thought she was so much better than little old Quatach-Ichl. I was a relic, she said, while she was the next generation of undead or some bilge like that. Now look at her, killed by a precocious student with a simple fire spell. Still, while I find the situation amusing, I can't exactly let you get away with it, you know? She was kind of important, much as it rankles me, and I can just go back home and say 'Remember that Zoltan House heir you told me to take care of? I kind of lost her, oops'. The head of house will at the very least want your head for this, if not your soul."

Crap, crap, crap. So he ended up killing some kind of House heir now? On the other hand, it was nice to have a confirmation that the lich was Quatach-Ichl. Quatach-Ichl was male, wasn't he? He could stop referring to the lich as an 'it' now. Now if only he could get out of this with his soul intact…

"I don't suppose you would accept a bribe to pretend you couldn't catch me?" asked Zorian with as much calm as he could muster, taking out the silver disc Kael gave him and flinging it towards the lich.

Thankfully, amazingly, the lich reacted just as Zorian expected him to: he extended his hand and snatched the coin out of the air. Zorian had figured the lich would do that instead of knocking it aside with a shield or something, as he seemed to consider itself invulnerable – not an unwarranted assumption considering those weird bones of his. In any case, the moment the lich's skeletal hand closed around the silver disc it froze in place for a moment before collapsing to the floor like a puppet with its strings cut.

"What?" one of the students behind him asked. "What happened? What the hell did you do to him?"

Zorian ignored him. Instead he rushed towards Kyron and Zach and started examining their injuries. A few seconds later he was pulled away by a girl who looked a few years older than him and which claimed to be a trained medical professional so he let her do her thing.

Instead he pulled a telepathic relay out of his pocket and closed her eyes in order to contact the aranea and see what was happening on their front.

- break -

It had started so well. The red robed intruder, presumably the third time traveler, walked blithely into the trap, his confidence buoyed by the familiar layout of aranean defenses near the entrance, as well as several victories against the sentries that the matriarch had purposely sacrificed in order to lull the enemy into a false sense of security. The moment he was near the center of the room, the floor turned to liquid and he sank into it before it froze solid again.

The aranea and the human mercenaries the matriarch had hired for the evening attacked immediately, dousing the area in sedatives and disabling spells.

But something was wrong, the sedatives didn't seem to have any effect on the robed man and many spells also failed to have any effect. Even stricken immobile, the man somehow managed to defend himself effectively, exploiting any openings to fire off strange purple beams that slew anyone they hit instantly. They were slow to cast and only targeted single opponents, so their losses were light, but it was still frustrating. Finally, once of the purple beams hit one of the human mercenaries and his companions lost their nerves, responding with a barrage of glowing lances that tore straight through the robed man's shield and impacted his chest.

For a moment, the matriarch was afraid that they had killed the man, making all her preparations and plotting meaningless… but the reality turned out to be far worse than that. Instead of erupting into a shower of blood and gore, the robed man simply… turned into smoke.

The opponent they had been fighting hadn't been the third time traveler in person. It had been merely an ectoplasmic shell infused with some of his skill and magic. A simulacrum, meant to test the waters and distract them.

A cone of purple light washed over the room, instantly slaying all of the human mercenaries and scores of her loyal aranea. Damnation – their opponent had taken advantage of the distraction their simulacrum had provided and set up an ambush of his own. She turned to sound a retreat to-

- break -

Zorian jolted awake from his trance as his connection to the matriarch had been violently severed at the end. Watching the events unfold from her perspective had been strange and mildly unpleasant, and Zorian would have to talk to the matriarch later about doing stuff like that without asking for permission, but considering the sudden end of the transmission? The matriarch was probably dead. And the rest of the aranea would probably soon be as well.

They failed. All that preparation and they had still failed. Damn it.

"Zorian?" a raspy voice from the floor near him broke him out of his thoughts. It was Zach, who was apparently conscious again, a heavy bandage wrapped around his head. "You with us again? You kind of drifted off for a while."

"Yeah," Zorian breathed out. "I'm… fine."

"They say you killed the lich," Zach said, pointing weakly towards a pile of black bones some distance away from them. A couple of braver students were clustered around the fallen body of the lich, whispering and pointing. "How the hell did you manage to do that?"

"I severed the connection between his soul and his physical vessel, thereby causing it to snap back into his phylactery. He's not really dead, just banished."

"Oh," Zach said. "Still, that's… I never managed to do anything even close to that. How… how is it that you knew how to do that? You… are you…"

"I need to go," said Zorian, rising to his feet.

"Hey wait!" Zach said, trying to rise up before wincing in pain and giving up on that idea. "You can just ignore me and go- Zorian! Zorian!"

Zorian ignored Zach, as well as Akoja's questions about where he was going. He just continued towards the exit, mentally plotting the path to the nearest sewer entrance. Nobody moved to stop him.

"Zorian, you ass! I swear I'm going to punch you in the face the next time I see you!" Zach shouted behind him.

"Sorry, Zach," Zorian whispered to himself. "But this takes precedence."

- break -

By the time Zorian had arrived to the aranean settlement, the whole place was dead, and Red Robe had moved on somewhere. Probably to hunt down any fleeing aranea that had scattered into the city – Zorian knew that a number of aranea were above ground at the time the ambush had been taking place. Whatever the reason, Zorian thanked his good fortune and started examining the place for additional clues about what had happened and for any surviving male aranea.

The fight had been fierce, but Zorian couldn't help but notice that most of the damage to the settlement had been inflicted by the aranea themselves, as they futilely tried to halt Red Robe's advance through the use of the spell cubes he had gifted them and their own traps. Red Robe killed incredibly cleanly, leaving no mark of damage on the bodies of the fallen – it was those strange purple spells obviously, but why was he taking such pains to kill all the aranea so bloodlessly when he could just chuck a fireball and fry the lot of them?

He was thorough, though. Zorian didn't know whether the man was unaware that the aranea males were not intelligent or simply didn't care, but quite a lot of males ran afoul of his desire to kill as many aranea as possible. This thoroughness was another strange thing – the man hadn't seemed hysterical or furious back in the dance hall, so why was he so insistent on getting every last aranea before the time loop was done? He even wiped out the children's crèche, for gods' sake! Yes, obviously killing them all would ensure that he got any time travelers amongst them for sure, but still – they would all be back in the next restart anyway.

Disturbing. Even though the emotional impact of seeing an entire settlement butchered down to the last child was blunted somewhat by their obvious non-human anatomy, Zorian was still sickened and disturbed by the cold-hearted brutality of the third time traveler.

Well. Maybe the matriarch's message beyond the grave would provide some answers. With the help of his divination compass and his mind sense, he slowly tracked down the surviving males one by one and extracted the pieces of the message they held.

There were two parts of the message, Zorian soon realized. The first was a simple narration – a voice message left to him by the matriarch explaining her actions. The second was a detailed map of Cyoria's underworld, with several locations marked as important. Both messages were incomplete, due to the thoroughness with which Red Robes hunted down the aranea, and the matriarch seemed to prioritize the map as more important, since several males had redundant copies of some of the sections of the map.

As the time loop inexorably inched towards its end, Zorian took stock of what he had managed to piece together.

[Missing] …mean things went awry. I know you think I had it coming by rushing into this but… [Missing] …simple: the time loop is degrading. I can't tell how long it will be before… [Missing] …can leave at any time. Thus, stopping him was… [Missing] …can only ever be one winner in this game. I am truly… [Missing] …hope it will be necessary, but just in case I put in a map to… [Missing] …whole other continent. I didn't think it was possible, even with the help of… [Missing]

That was it. The map was also full of holes, although Zorian noted he still currently had what was an incredibly accurate map of Cyoria's underworld by commercially-available standards.

Before he could really consider the message at length, the loop ended and everything went dark.

- break -

Zorian's eyes abruptly shot open as a sharp pain erupted from his stomach. His whole body convulsed, buckling against the object that fell on him, and suddenly he was wide awake, not a trace of drowsiness in his mind.

"Good m-!" Kirielle began, only to get cut off as Zorian immediately shot upright into a sitting position, sweeping Kirielle into a crushing hug. The suddenness of the motion shocked Kirielle into a few seconds of silence as Zorian took several deep breaths to calm himself down.

"What's wrong?" Kirielle asked, wriggling inside his grip but not really trying to break free of his hold. Zorian promptly let her go and tried to think of a good answer. He failed to think of any.

"N-Nothing," he exhaled. "It's just a nightmare. I'm sorry for worrying you."

And it really was a nightmare. All their manipulation and preparations, all his combat practice, all the tricks he had thought of, and they still lost. They lost miserably. The aranea… they had been hunted down like stray dogs and massacred. Why? What could the third time traveler hope to accomplish with such pointless brutality? And the message the matriarch had left him didn't explain much of anything, either.

"Like, I was really worried," she huffed, giving him a sharp poke and jumping away from him. "Mother wants to talk to you so you better hurry down."

"Right," Zorian said, getting up and making a motion towards the door. Predictably, Kirielle sped away to occupy the bathroom, and Zorian immediately locked the door to his room once she was gone and started pacing around like a caged tiger.

He needed to warn the aranea, and he needed to warn them as soon as possible. He wasn't going to bring Kirielle with him this time and the moment the train disembarked in Cyoria he was… no, no, no. That was too slow. Far too slow. Considering Red Robe's actions in the previous restart, and the fact that he 'knew' they were time travelers now, Zorian wouldn't put it past him to butcher them all at the start of the restart this time.

The aranea needed to be warned right now, not by the end of the day. He would have to teleport directly to Cyoria. He mentally apologized to his mother and Kirielle, since they were going to have a fit when they realized he had gone missing from his locked room, and started casting.

He couldn't teleport straight to the Aranean settlement. The araneas have actually warded most of their settlement against teleportation, and in any case the aranea lived deep underground. Teleporting underground was a bad idea – between the sheer amount of rock in the way and the magical interference created by heightened levels of ambient mana (which only got worse on a mana well like Cyoria), there was a good chance he'd end up killing himself. As much of in a hurry as Zorian was, killing himself in a teleportation accident was even worse than being late, and he had no mana to waste either. Teleporting to Cyoria's teleport beacon was going to be hard enough on its own for a mage of his meager capabilities in the field.

Teleportation had a reputation of being dangerous among most mages. This was because, at its core, the classical teleportation spell wasn't a pure dimensionalism spell – it had a substantial divination component that divined the exact coordinates of the location the caster was trying to reach, and if the caster set up the divination wrong… well, all sorts of weird and unpleasant things could happen. Then there was a fact that some people really didn't like people teleporting into their home and territory and set up wards that didn't just cause teleportation to fail, but to fail catastrophically. Such wards were illegal, but used by a certain type of people anyway.

Other than that, though, teleportation was a fairly safe and convenient method of transportation. So long as your destination wasn't behind wards. Or underground. Or somewhere you've never set foot in. Yeah.

Ah, whatever, the point was that it could get him to Cyoria in mere moments. Cyoria thankfully had a teleport beacon in the city that funneled travelers into a central location and simultaneously made teleportation easier (and less mana intensive) for the mage doing the teleporting. That meant that Zorian wasn't going to spend most of his mana on the teleport, which was a very good thing.

His world shifted unpleasantly – he still wasn't good enough with the spell to produce a smooth transition like Ilsa could manage – and suddenly he was at Cyoria's teleport redirection point. He promptly ran into the city proper and went about preparing himself. As tempting as it was to immediately descend into the Dungeon and seek out the aranea, he had to think of his own safety first. The aranea could be saved in some other restart, but if he got captured by the third time traveler, all would be lost. He had to wait half an hour or so until his mana reserves regenerated enough that he would feel safe descending into the Dungeon, so he set off in search of a store to buy some equipment at, as there wasn't enough time to make his own.

Well, finding a magical store in Cyoria wasn't too difficult. Unfortunately, their selection of spell rods legally available to someone like him had been very underwhelming. He bought a shielding bracelet and a rod of magic missiles, but everything else required permits he didn't have.

"I hate to sound like a crazed killer or something, but don't you have something… more lethal in your selection?" asked Zorian impatiently.

"Well sure, but I can't really sell them to you without getting into trouble, can I?" the merchant said with a radiant smile, not at all disturbed by his question. "The mage guild keeps a close eye on the sale of spell rods and such, and I don't really want to get into trouble for a handful of coins. Sorry."

He then gave him a shrewd look. "But you know, if it's lethality you're worried about, may I suggest a somewhat… unorthodox choice?"

He reaching beneath the counter and withdrew a plain wooden box, placing on the counter. With great fanfare, he opened the box and showed its contents to Zorian.

Zorian stared at the contents for a few seconds, thinking it over. It was unorthodox yes, but…

"I'll take it," he said.

The man gave him a knowing smile and started to write up a bill.

- break -

He knew something was wrong the moment he approached the aranean settlement without being intercepted by the sentries. He should have been intercepted by now, especially since he had been deliberately inflating his telepathic presence to be as noticeable as possible. But no one came to confront him, and no one answered his vocal greetings. It was unnerving, and as Zorian got nearer and nearer to the Aranea settlement, an undercurrent of dread began to seep into his mind.

Was he too late? But he came here as fast as reasonably possible!

He finally encountered one of the aranea after a few minutes, followed by another one 30 seconds later. Dead, both of them. There was no sign of physical damage Zorian could see, either on the dead aranea or the environment, and he could detect no magical residue to indicate heavy spellwork. It looked eerily like the aftermath of Red Robe's attack in the previous restart. He promptly stopped to cast 3 different protective spells on himself: non-detection to stop simple divination, invisibility to hide from sight, and a spell to increase his natural spell resistance. He didn't know what those purple spells were, but they looked like direct effect spells rather than simple projection attacks, so spell resistance should work against them. Finally, he took out a cheap scarf he had bought back on the surface for this very purpose and wrapped it around his head to hide his identity. He was currently invisible, yes, but that was going to get disrupted the moment he cast a spell and it wasn't something to rely on.

Then he proceeded more carefully into the settlement proper.

It was a graveyard. Everywhere he looked there were dead aranea, silent and motionless, legs curved inward and glassy black eyes staring at nothing in particular. The terrifying thing was that there was absolutely no sign of struggle anywhere he looked – no spell damage, lingering mana concentrations or groups of corpses piled together as they attempted to delay the attacker at some chokepoint. In fact, most of the aranea seemed to have simply dropped dead in the middle of some mundane activity, such as feeding on a rat corpse or making some kind of sculpture out of webbing.

After thirty minutes of trying to piece together what happened, Zorian was tempted to conclude that the third time traveler enacted some kind of wide-scale area of effect ritual that duplicated the effect of those purple beams of his and killed every aranea in the settlement in a single moment, before they even realized what was happening. The problem was not every aranea had died. Some of the males had survived whatever spell wiped out all of the females and roughly half of the males. And them being simply outside of the settlement when the spell took effect didn't sound relevant, since the forward guards he passed earlier on the way to the settlement had also been dead and they were pretty far from the settlement proper.

After capturing several males and delving into their minds, he was starting to notice something. All of the males he captured felt… familiar to him. He had delved into their mind before, in the previous restart when he was retrieving the matriarch's message from them.

No. It couldn't be! The aranea weren't time travelers so why would-

A sizzling sound accompanied by a flash of light heralded the opening of a magical portal somewhere behind him, and he immediately whirled around to confront the newcomer. Hopefully it would be Zach and-

Of course it was the third time traveler.

For two whole seconds, the two mages stood in silence, staring at each other in surprise. The third time traveler was in the exact same getup he had used in the previous restart – a blood red cloak that covered every inch of his body and wreathed in some kind of protective spell that left his face as an empty, featureless patch of darkness beneath the hood. Zorian was technically invisible and the other mage shouldn't be able to see him, but he knew from the way the other mage was looking straight at him that the spell was not having any effect on the other mage.

The moment was broken when the Red Robe whipped out a spell rod in a fast, practiced motion and fired a swarm of 5 magic missiles at Zorian. Caught off guard, Zorian could do little except soak the hit with his shielding bracelet. Thankfully the shield held, but he knew he wasn't going to win any fights with a guy that bested Zach. He managed to set off a disintegration spell at the floor of the cave between them, throwing clouds of dust into the air and allowing him to disengage from battle.

He ran.

- break -

He didn't get far.

"You are shielding yourself from divinations," Red Robe said in his distorted voice. "Good. At least you're smarter than that fool Zach. Can you believe that even after all these decades in the time loop he still hasn't learned how to hide himself from the most childish of locator spells? You, on the other hand, have been in the time loop for, what? Three, four years? And you already know how to shield yourself from my soul perception."

Zorian said nothing, trying to sink further into the crack he was hiding in and wracking his brains for a way to lose the man. It was fortunate that Kael had taught him how to shield himself from soul sight, because Red Robes was apparently a motherfucking necromancer!

He was just fortunate he figured out how the man was seeing him, or else he'd be already dead by now.

"They're permanently dead, if you're wondering," Red Robe continued. He didn't seem to be able to pinpoint him with his soul protection active, but he clearly could tell he was around. And he was slowly getting closer to Zorian. "When I killed them in the last restart, I didn't just kill their bodies. No matter how many times the time loop repeats itself, the aranea will always start the time loop dead, their bodies present but their souls forever gone. Soul magic is so fascinating, isn't it?"

Even though he had been suspecting it, Zorian still felt his heart drop at the admission. The aranea… were dead permanently? That's… He felt a storm of outrage and guilt building up in him and ruthlessly crushed it. Now was not the time. There would be time for breakdowns and self-recriminations later, but now he had to make sure that there would be a later.

"But I'm not as violent and unreasonable as I might first appear, you know?" Red Robe said conversationally. "If you tell me the names of other people the aranea have brought into the time loop, I promise I will leave you alone. I might even teach you a thing or two."

Zorian blinked. Is that why Red Robe hadn't flooded the whole room in fire to flush him out? Because he thought there might be more time travelers beside him? Huh. In retrospect, that seemed like a reasonable conclusion: the matriarch did claim such to Zach, after all.

Suddenly Red Robe surged forward and snatched him by the shirt. Before Zorian could do much, the other mage slammed him into the rough wall of the aranea cavern several times, causing Zorian to see spots and hover on the edge of unconsciousness. He tried to break free, but he was never particularly gifted in the physical areas and Red Robe's strength was utterly superhuman and completely out of proportion with his size and build.

"How many others have the aranea brought into the time loop?" Red Robe asked menacingly, dropping all pretenses on politeness and friendliness.

Someone else might have been tempted to try and lie, but Zorian knew it was best to stay quiet. A statement could be divined for hidden meanings and veracity. You could not divine the meaning of silence.

"Oh fine, have it your way," Red Robe said with a dramatic sigh. "I guess I'll just have to rip it out of your mind like I did with Zach. Regardless of what those arrogant bugs told you, the aranea aren't the only ones capable of mind magic."

Zorian felt the other mage trying to connect with his mind, but he immediately realized the attempt was incredibly crude and simplistic. Zorian was better and he knew it. Not willing to let this mistake on part of his opponent go to waste, he promptly clamped down on the connection and blew Red Robe's telepathic attack to bits before counter-invading his mind. Knowing he had no experience with subtle attacks, he simply proceeded to blast the Red Robe's mind with an undirected telepathic scream. Red Robe flinched back and tried to terminate the connection. When that failed, he reached for his spell rod, but Zorian caused his hand to spasm and it promptly slipped between his fingers and clattered to the floor of the cave.

After several seconds Zorian realized that, while the other mage was no match for him when it comes to telepathic combat, he wasn't defenseless either. He couldn't overpower Red Robe mentally, and the moment his concentration dropped the other mage was going to sever the connection and beat him to a pulp in the physical world. He tried to commandeer the Red Robe's limb to release its grip on him so he could flee but the hand remained resolutely wrapped around his neck.

Well fine then. Zorian reached to his belt and retrieved the revolver he had bought from the merchant, emptying the entire wheel into Red Robe at point blank range.

He lost concentration as the gun fired, the bang surprising him with its volume, but as the first two bullets impacted Red Robe's chest he immediately released Zorian in favor of erecting a hasty shield around himself. The last four bullets splashed uselessly against the plane of force the other mage had managed to raise in front of him, but the damage was already done, as the first two bullets had already struck true, tearing through whatever protections the other mage had on his robe and drawing blood.

Zorian took advantage of the aftermath to flee, hoping that Red Robe's fresh wounds would inhibit his pursuits. The lack of footstep following him told him he was correct.

A disintegration beam narrowly missing his head also told him that his opponent wasn't out of the fight yet.

"You shot me!" the Red Robe's voice yelled hysterically behind him. "What kind of mage uses a gun!?"

Zorian didn't grace this with a response and instead opted to keep running. The idea of simply activating his bombs (the only item he bothered to make before coming down here) and killing himself was tempting, but he realized that would be a horrible idea. His opponent was a necromancer – suicide wasn't going to protect him from Red Robe, not in any way that mattered. It wasn't like the time loop was going to reset itself when he died – it only did that for Zach.

No, he had to find a way to kill himself in such a way that Red Robe could not recover his body afterwards. After wracking his brains for a second, he accessed the map of the underworld the matriarch had left for him and searched for something… there! That tunnel lead to a long vertical shaft that ended in a giant underground lake marked as 'dangerous'. That probably meant there was something living there, ready to eat anyone who ventured into the waters. His body would likely be eaten long before Red Robe could recover it. He sped off towards his destination.

He narrowly avoided the next two spells, Red Robes constantly on his toes, not nearly as crippled by his wounds as he should have been. He shot him in the chest, for gods' sake! Twice! What the hell did he do to himself to get that kind of resilience? Some kind of forbidden ritual, maybe?

Red Robe seemed to finally lose patience with him and flooded the entire corridor in a vortex of crackling blue lightning and immediately caused Zorian's muscles to lock up and washed all his thoughts in a sea of pain. He was too late, though, because Zorian had already stepped over the edge of the hole leading into the vertical shaft and inertia caused him to promptly tip over and fall in.

Zorian tumbled through the air, for some reason thinking it was funny he was doing his damnedest to kill himself while the third time traveler was trying to stop him. He had the presence of mind to activate the explosives in his pocket just before he hit the surface of the water and his world ended in light and pain.

End of Arc 1

<noinclude>
==Author's Notes and References==
<references />

{{MotherofLearningNavbar
|[[Mother of Learning:Volume_01_Chapter_025|Chapter 025]]
|[[Mother of Learning:Volume_01_Chapter_027|Chapter 027]]
}}
</noinclude>

Mother of Learning:Volume 01 Chapter 024

2015-08-26T20:37:01Z

Chocolatkey: /* Smoke and Mirrors */

=== Smoke and Mirrors ===

Zorian would be the first to admit he wasn't the easiest person to get along with. He was unsociable, irritable, and tended to assume the worst of people. He had always known that, even before he had died and gotten stuck in a mysterious time loop, but he had also always felt he was justified in his behavior. Indeed, if anyone had been foolish enough to criticize him about it before the time loop, he would have reacted with all the subtlety and grace of a disturbed rattlesnake.

Now… well, he still felt he had good reasons to behave the way he did, and he wasn't going to win any friendliness contests any time soon, but the time loop had changed him. Made him calmer, and perhaps a tad bit more considerate to people around him. He hadn't had an argument with his family in years, his financial independence was all but ensured once the time loop was over, his growing magical prowess had done wonders for his confidence, and the sheer scale of his current problem made all his previous frustrations seem rather petty in comparison.

Thus, when Kirielle kicked him in the knee for the third time in as many minutes, he pointedly didn't snap at her. He didn't even sigh in exasperation. He just continued staring out of the window, watching the fields fly by as the train sped ever closer towards Korsa.

"I'm bored," Kirielle complained.

Zorian gave her a curious look. While the wards protecting the train disrupted mana shaping, they had only a rudimentary effect on his empathy, and what he was detecting from Kirielle wasn't boredom – it was a mix of excitement, anticipation and apprehension. As far as Zorian could tell, such complex mixtures of emotions appeared to be the most common 'emotion' that people experienced, and they were almost entirely indecipherable at Zorian's current level of skill.

"What's really bothering you?" he tried. Her mind immediately burst in a flurry of activity, and she opened her mouth to say something before losing her courage and lamely disguising her attempt to speak as a particularly deep breath. Huh, so she wasn't just being restless…

"Nothin'," she muttered, averting her gaze and despondently picking at the hem of her blouse.

Zorian rolled his eyes and kicked her lightly in the knee. Despite doing the exact same thing to him only few moments ago, she proceeded to send him a nasty glare. Unsurprisingly, her attempt at intimidation failed utterly – she was about as frightening as an angry kitten.

"Tell me," he insisted.

She gave him a long, suspicious look before relenting.

"Will you teach me some magic when we get to Cyoria?" she asked hopefully.

How troublesome. The smart, reasonable response would be 'no' – there was no way she would get anywhere in a mere month, this particular restart was going to be extremely busy as it was, and she was going to forget everything she learned at the end of the month anyway.

"…I'll see what I can do," Zorian said after a few seconds of tense silence. Well, tense for Kirielle – he was pretty sure she literally stopped breathing while she was waiting for an answer.

"Yessss!" she crowed, pumping her fists in the air in triumph.

"But in exchange, I'll want your help with something," he added.

"Fine," she immediately agreed, not even asking what exactly he had in mind. "Hey, can you-"

"No," Zorian immediately said. "The train is warded to disrupt mana shaping. No one can cast spells in here."

"Oh," Kirielle deflated.

Truthfully, Zorian was bending the truth a little. The ward on the train that disrupted mana shaping was very weak and rudimentary, meant to deter overeager students and casual vandalism, and was little more than an annoyance to a proper mage like Zorian was. He could overpower the ward with ease, but he had analyzed it in detail during the previous restart and knew it reported any significant spellcasting to some remote location. He'd rather not get chucked out of the train before reaching Cyoria just because Kirielle wanted a free show.

Kirielle opened her mouth to say something else but was promptly interrupted by a sharp crackling sound that heralded the voice of the station announcer.

"Now stopping in Korsa," a disembodied voice echoed. "I repeat, now stopping in Korsa. Thank you."

Well, at least Kirielle would soon get someone else to bother in their compartment.

"So many people," Kiri remarked, watching the throng at the train station through the window. "I didn't know there were so many people going to that school of yours."

Zorian, who was amusing himself by trying to count the number of people on the train station using his mind sense, made an absent-minded sound of agreement. While he was no longer totally oblivious to the world while using his mind sense, it still took most of his attention to get anything useful out of it. After half a minute of trying to separate the tightly-packed mass of people into discrete individuals that could be counted, however, he decided the task was beyond him at his current level of skill and refocused back of Kirielle.

"Why are mages so rare if there are so many people studying to become one?" she asked.

"They aren't terribly rare," Zorian said. "It's just that most mages coming from rural areas don't stay there once they finish their studies. I totally understand them too – I know ''I'' have no intention of coming back to Cirin when I graduate."

"What!? Why!?" Kirielle protested.

Zorian raised his eyebrow at her. "Do I really have to answer that question?"

Kirielle huffed and crossed her arms over her chest in obvious annoyance. "I guess not. But that means I'll be all alone with mother and father then. That sucks."

"Just pester mother to let you visit me often," Zorian shrugged. "She'll cave in eventually, especially since you'll be the only means through which they can maintain contact with me. Father doesn't care about either of us, so he'll follow mother's lead on this."

Kirielle gave him a weird look. "I can come and visit you?"

"Any time you want," Zorian confirmed.

"You don't think I'm annoying?" she asked.

"Oh no, you're definitely annoying," Zorian said, smiling at her mutinous expression. "But you're still the only part of our family I actually like. And I bet you find me annoying too."

"Damn right," Kirielle huffed, kicking him in the knee again for good measure.

They watched in silence as people boarded the train and sought out empty compartments for themselves and their groups. But soon enough such empty compartments dwindled in number and their compartment soon got additional passengers: Ibery, Byrn, and two other girls he never met up until this restart. That was a bit unexpected – he really only expected Ibery to be there. But no matter, maybe it was better this way. The more audience he had for this, the better. Now all he needed was an opening.

He didn't have to wait long.

"Well, your brother is far better than mine," one of the new girls said to Kirielle after his sister was done explaining who she was and why she was going to Cyoria. "I'm pretty sure mine would have done just about anything in order to avoid taking his little sister along with him."

"I almost decided not to bring her, what with the whole Cult of the Dragon Below incident," Zorian interjected. "But then I figured they're probably just a bunch of crazy idiots anyway. I mean, if it was so easy to summon an army of demons, all of Altazia would have been a burning wreck by now, wouldn't it?"

All conversation stopped as everyone turns to stare at him like he had grown another head. Zorian feigned confusion and gave them all a blank look.

"What?" he asked finally.

"What… exactly are you talking about?" Byrn asked carefully.

"You didn't hear?" Zorian frowned, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. "The Cult of the Dragon Below issued a threat… well, technically a proclamation of intent but whatever… that they intend to summon an army of demons on the day of the summer festival. The planar convergence scheduled to occur on that day will be the most powerful one in centuries, so this is apparently a once in a lifetime opportunity for them."

"You're serious," Ibery half asked, half stated.

"It's what they said," Zorian shrugged. "And Cyoria has a lot of those crazies running around, so I think I'm justified in being a little concerned."

"Cyoria has a lot of Dragon Cultists?" Byrn asked incredulously.

"It's the Hole," Ibery said with a sigh. "It's something of a holy location for them, being a huge gaping hole in the ground of uncertain depth that continually spews mana into the air. They think it's a direct conduit to the Heart of the World."

Wow, good thing Ibery was here – Zorian didn't know that and would have had to make something up. He should probably read up on the Cult's actual beliefs one of these days instead of simply thinking of them as a bunch of crazies. Know your enemy and all that.

The conversation didn't linger on the cultists and their goals for long, and soon shifted to other topics. Zorian allowed it, not interested in pushing the issue. He had no idea if this exchange was going to have any sort of meaningful effect on the restart, but it cost him nothing to try and start the rumor mill a little early.

The first domino was set.

<div style="text-align: center">- break -</div>

Much like the last time Zorian had taken Kirielle to Cyoria, Byrn and Kirielle decided to tour the train station for a while before they moved on to the city proper. By that time, of course, it was heavily raining. Unlike last time, Zorian was now in possession of a warding necklace that he had made while waiting for the departure time in Cirin, so keeping the rain barrier up around the group didn't strain his mana reserves in the slightest. Consequently, he decided to be nice and didn't argue at all when Kirielle insisted they accompany Byrn to the academy.

That's probably why Byrn asked about keeping in touch when they reached his destination and were about to separate. Zorian gave him directions to Imaya's place and told him to drop by when he had the time. He was pretty sure Imaya wouldn't mind in the slightest and, while Zorian himself didn't care much for the boy, he could see that Kirielle got along pretty well with the first year.

And speaking of Imaya, their initial meeting went a lot better than it did last time. The fact they hadn't introduced themselves by frantically banging on the door and dragging water into the house probably helped with first impressions. Hell, she didn't even protest much when Zorian insisted he had something important to take care of and went out into the rain again.

The important thing he had to do was speaking to the aranea to give them back their memories, but this time he bore additional gifts – five stone discs that acted as telepathic relays, drastically improving the ability of aranea to coordinate their actions across large distances. Naturally, the 6th disc remained in Zorian's possession, so he didn't have to descend into the sewers every time he wanted to speak with the matriarch.

[You know, when I told you to contact me as soon as possible, I didn't really mean you should call me in the middle of the freaking night,] Zorian sent to the matriarch, putting as much of his annoyance and crankiness as he could manage into the message. He still wasn't very good at attaching emotions and images to his communication, but he was confident she would get the general picture of what he was trying to convey. [I'm not sure about aranea, but we humans actually have to sleep during the night to function properly.]

[My apologies,] the matriarch sent back. She didn't sound sorry at all. [It's a fascinating device you've gifted me with. Most impressive.]

[Not really. It's pretty shoddy as far as magic items go. I took a lot of shortcuts in order to make so many and it shows. It's a fairly large, heavy disc made out of solid stone, so not very inconspicuous or portable, and it has a lifespan of only 2 and a half months.]

[That's still a month and a half longer than needed,] the matriarch remarked.

[True,] Zorian agreed.

[I assume you can make long-lasting versions?]

[Yes, of course,] Zorian said.

[Could other artificers duplicate your work?] she asked. [Or is this something you came up with yourself?]

Zorian frowned. Why would she need other artificers when she had him? Did she plan to ditch him after they left the time loop or something?

[It's something I came up with,] Zorian said. [Other artificers would have to design a blueprint first. That could take a while.]

True, but misleading. He did design the relays on his own, basically from scratch, but it honestly hadn't been that difficult. He suspected any good magic item maker could design one within a month or two… provided they were either psychic themselves or had a psychic on hand for testing purposes. She could figure out that little detail on her own as far as he was concerned.

[I see,] she said. [Well, I guess I shouldn't keep you awake any longer. I just wanted to tell you I've reviewed the memory packet and am convinced it is genuine.]

Zorian rolled his eyes. As if there was any doubt. Apparently having gotten what she contacted him for, the matriarch cut the connection and left him alone in his bed again. Well, alone in his head at least – Kirielle was very much in the room with him, a fact she immediately reminded him of by taking advantage of his momentary distraction to appropriate the last bit of bed covering he had managed to keep away from her thus far. He gave her a nasty look for that, but she just snuggled deeper into her cocoon of stolen blankets, blissfully unaware of his ire in her realm of dreams.

He sighed. There was no way he was going to be able to go back to sleep now. He quickly cast a silencing ward on the room and then slowly extricated himself from the bed, taking care not to wake up Kirielle. She was annoying, yes, but it wasn't her fault his sleep was ruined.

'Note to self: the next generation relay needs an off button.'

<div style="text-align: center">- break -</div>

After surprising Imaya by already being awake when she woke up, Zorian went out into the city to hit the stores. The plan he and the matriarch hashed out last restart involved creation of a lot of magic items on his part, and that meant buying material components and specialist tools. Not to mention that there were a few things he had to buy if he wanted to seriously start teaching Kirielle how to be a mage.

He really hoped Kirielle charmed Kana in this restart like she had the last time around – while Zorian himself was decently skilled in alchemy and could manage on his own if he had to, Kael's help would be invaluable in some of the projects he had planned for this restart…

"Zorian! Over here!"

Zorian snapped out of his thoughts and quickly made way towards the person calling him. Benisek was exactly the person he was looking for. He quickly sat down next to the chubby boy and exchanged a bunch of pleasantries before getting to the reason he had tracked the boy down today.

"Ben, my friend, you won't believe what I found out during our school break," Zorian said. "I still don't understand what they were thinking when they came up with that stuff. It's like something out of a bad adventure novel."

"Do tell," Benisek leaned forward.

"Well…" Zorian began, suddenly feigning reluctance. "It's kind of confidential, you know. I'm telling you this in strict confidence because we're friends, so don't go spreading this around, okay?"

Noting that he was about to tell him something confidential and warning him to keep it to himself was crucial – it meant Benisek was going to spread the story around twice as fast as he normally would.

"Of course," Benisek said pleasantly. "You know me, Zorian. I would never betray your trust like that."

Zorian couldn't help but smile. "Thanks, Ben. I know I could count on you."

<div style="text-align: center">- break -</div>

Having told Benisek all about the nasty terrorist plot to bomb Cyoria during the summer festival, Zorian went back to Imaya's place to wait for Taiven and her offer of joining the sewer run. He amused himself by creating one of those practice cards that Xvim had him hone his shaping skills on. He had planned to simply buy a stack of them from one of the stores he visited this morning, but they were a lot more expensive than he had figured they would be – his respect for Xvim rose slightly when he realized how much money Xvim effectively spent on his training during that restart. Zorian's list of complaints about the man was several pages long, but it seemed that being cheap wasn't among them.

He was still impressing Ilsa into taking him on as her apprentice, of course. Cheap or not cheap, the man was incredibly frustrating and only tolerable in small doses.

He finished painting the glyphs on the corners of the card he was making and started binding the necessary spell combination. Kirielle, who was in the process of drawing a nearby vase of flowers, briefly looked up from her sheet of paper when she noticed him casting spells, but quickly went back to her work when she saw the lack of lightshows or other impressive visual effects.

He hoped that Benisek would keep silent about the source of the 'rumor' Zorian had told him. He probably would – Ben never revealed his sources if he could help it, since he liked to pretend he had some super-secret sources to draw information from rather than just spreading rumors from his fellow students – but Zorian had a contingency plan to follow even if someone with official authority came to confront him about the story. The fact that the aranea were currently spreading the same story in several different places should also help mask where exactly the whole thing had originated in the first place.

He was just putting the finishing touches on the card when Taiven burst into the kitchen and locked onto his position.

"Hey Roach, nice place you got here," she said, plopping down to a seat next to him and peering closer to look at his work. "Ooh, I know what that is. I've been meaning to get some one of these days, but I always end up spending my money elsewhere. How many did you buy?"

"None," Zorian said. "They were too expensive for my taste so I decided to make my own. This is the only one I made so far."

Taiven raised her eyebrow at him, looking amused at his claim. Zorian frowned, not liking the expression – she didn't believe he could make a card like this? This was nothing! He thrust the finished card into her face with a scowl.

"Try it out," he told her.

Sighing dramatically, Taiven took a deep breath and… frowned. Zorian felt a mixture or surprise and frustration burst from her and realized she had tried to burn the circle he drew onto the card and failed.

"You couldn't do it, could you?" Zorian grinned.

"You made it wrong!" she huffed.

"Did not!" Zorian protested. "You just suck!"

"Do not!" she shot back. "Why don't you do it if you're so special, huh?"

"Hmph," Zorian scoffed, snatching the card back. He positioned the card so that she could see the results of what he was about to do (and in the back of his mind he noted that Kirielle had decided to see what the fuss was all about and was studying the card as well) and then flashed his mana into the card in a practiced manner.

The circle – and ''only'' the circle – momentarily shone red from the heat before collapsing into ash. Zorian blew a gust of air into the hole to scatter the remains across the table and then smugly handed the spent card to Taiven. He crossed his arms and waited her reply.

"Ahem," a mature female voice interrupted the scene from behind him. "You will, of course, clean up this mess you've made on my table, won't you mister Kazinski? Oh, and I would like to warn you that I will bill you for any property damage you inflict on my material possessions with your… experiments."

Zorian turned and gave Imaya a big, friendly smile. She rolled her eyes at him and gestured towards the ashes on the table. Hanging his head in defeat, Zorian went to get a rag from the bathroom, ignoring Taiven's soft laughter behind him. Just for that he was tempted to blow her off when she asked him to accompany her to the sewers.

Briefly. The fact was, he definitely needed to go with her this time.

"So what was it that you needed from me anyway?" Zorian asked, sitting down next to Taiven again.

"Ah, well, I was wondering if you'd join me on a little expedition…"

Zorian patiently listened to her explanation before revealing he had contacts with the aranea and requesting that they tried talking to them first before barging in, spells blazing. Much like in previous restarts where he had brought the issue up, Taiven accepted him hanging out with giant sewer-dwelling spiders easily enough, but this time she also had an additional request.

"Since you apparently think you're good enough to walk around the Dungeon all by your lonesome, meeting sentient monsters and gods know what else, I would like to test your skills a little," Taiven told him. "Plus, it doesn't hurt to know what your actual combat skills are if you're going to accompany me and my team into a potentially dangerous situation. You do know some combat skills, don't you?"

"Plenty," Zorian assured her.

"Good, so come to my place tomorrow at noon so I can test you," Taiven said. "You're sure they're going to hand us the clock if we ask nicely?"

"If they have it," said Zorian. "That guy who gave you the job doesn't sound all that reliable to me. I don't believe for a second that he didn't know what the aranea are, yet he still sent you go get a pocket watch from them. Either he's trying to get you all killed or… hell, I don't know what his game is there."

"If the watch is something very valuable or very illegal he might not want to send someone who could recognize what they are holding," Taiven frowned. "Just how dangerous are these spiders of yours? I mean, even if sentient, they're still bound to be vulnerable to burning and such. Maybe he thought we would just bulldoze through them without talking?"

"Aranea are all mages," Zorian said. It wasn't strictly true, as only a small minority of aranea was armed with a true spellcasting system, but psychic powers were versatile enough to count as a sort of specialized spellcasting system. "They are especially fond of mind magic, illusions and stealth. And they have a telepathic link to one another so they will know and remember you if you massacre some of their outposts. And then you'd have a bunch of magical spiders with a grudge looking to ambush you or lure you into a trap the next time you descend into the dungeon."

"Shit," Taiven said. He felt a spike of anger from her before she reined it in and forced herself to calm down. "That asshole better have been ignorant of the danger or I'm reporting him to the nearest police station I find. That's practically a murder attempt!"

"Let's talk to the aranea first and see what they have to say," Zorian quickly said. He didn't want Taiven to confront the man and then cancel the whole thing. "I guarantee they won't attack you so long as you have me with you."

Taiven gave him a long, unreadable look.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing," Taiven said. "it's just that… I thought I knew you, but now it turns out you have this whole secret life I've never known about until now. It's a bit unreal."

"Yeah!" Kirielle suddenly piped in. She had been silent throughout their discussion, but apparently she had been listening to everything with rapt attention. "How come you never told your own sister any of this!?"

"Oh that one is easy," Zorian replied smoothly. "I didn't want mother and father to find out, so telling you would have been foolish. Do you have any idea how many times you've gotten me in trouble by spilling my secrets in front of our parents?"

"Oh come on!" Kirielle whined. "I was a little baby! I didn't know anything! You can't possibly still be angry about that?"

"No, of course not," Zorian mumbled uncomfortably. "I did just tell Taiven about the aranea right in front of you, haven't I?"

Taiven shook her head sadly, rising from her seat. "You keep too many secrets, Roach. I feel a little hurt that you felt you couldn't confide in me but I was never one to hold a grudge so I'll let it go. Just don't expect this to be the end of it – I'm going to pester you endlessly until I get the whole story. See you tomorrow."

"Wait," Zorian said. "Actually… yeah, there is something I need to tell you. All of you. Miss Kuroshka, I know you've been eavesdropping on us for a while now so you might as well sit down for this."

Imaya whirled around from where she was fiddling with the cutlery and placed her hands on her hips, giving him an angry look.

"I was not doing any such thing," she told him, "I was simply minding my own business, and in my own kitchen no less. If you didn't want me overhearing your conversation you should have taken it elsewhere."

"My mistake," Zorian agreed easily. He was pretty sure she had finished whatever she had come into the kitchen to do for a while now and was simply hanging around to hear them talk, but whatever. "Kiri, do you remember how I promised to teach you spellcasting in exchange for a favor back in the train?"

"Yeah?" Kirielle confirmed hesitantly.

"Right, a little background first. I am what is commonly known as an empath – a person who can sense other people's emotions. Unfortunately, up until recently, my powers have been kind of running amok. There was nobody I could turn to for help… at least not on the human side of things."

"The spiders," Imaya surmised.

"Yes," Zorian agreed. "Aranea are all empathic as part of their innate nature. Thanks to them, I now have more or less gained control over my empathic abilities, though it will take years of practice to truly refine them into something reliable. Follow me so far?"

"What am I feeling right now?" Kirielle asked.

"I actually don't know," Zorian admitted. "People's feelings are rarely very simple, and unless they are feeling one emotion very strongly I'm reduced to educated guesses based on my previous interactions with the person. The more time I spend around someone the easier I can read them."

"But isn't she your sister?" Imaya asked. "You'd think that if anyone was familiar enough for your ability to work it would be family."

"Our family is…" Zorian hesitated, searching for a proper word. "Slightly dysfunctional, I guess. I try to stay away from them most of the time, so I haven't interacted with Kirielle all that often. And I'm not the only one keeping secrets around here – Kirielle is also keeping a lot of things close to her chest. I guess we don't really know each other all that well, sibling bonds notwithstanding."

There was a brief silence as everyone involved digested that admission, but the awkward atmosphere was quickly broken by Imaya clearing her throat.

"Well," she said. "I guess it's a good thing you're both here now to reconnect."

"Yeah!" Kirielle immediately agreed. "Hey, do you think I could be an empath too?"

"Sorry Kiri, but I'm pretty sure you aren't," Zorian said. "I'd would have been able to sense it if you were."

"You can sense other empaths?" Taiven asked.

"I can sense all minds around me, empath or otherwise," Zorian said. "I also get some basic information about each mind – how complex their thoughts are, their species, their gender, stuff like that. Empaths light up like little suns on my mind sense, so… sorry Kiri."

"It's fine," she said dejectedly.

"You can sense people all around you, regardless of obstacles?" Taiven asked. Zorian nodded. "And the range on that ability is…?"

"If I'm busy with something else and just running my mind sense in the background? About ten meters," said Zorian. "If I'm specifically concentrating on scanning the environment? Easily ten times that. However, if there are a lot of minds around me I have trouble processing the information and they all sort of start to blend together in a confusing, headache-inducing mass. I mostly just shut my empathy off when I'm around big crowds."

"Roach, I am so recruiting you for my team," Taiven said. "I've been trying to find a tracker for my team for a while now! Now all we need is teach you some divination spells and-"

"Already done, thank you," Zorian said. "I am quite proficient in divination."

"Even better!" Taiven said. "You're hired."

"We'll see," Zorian sighed.

"Fascinating," Imaya said. "I've never heard of that aspect of empathy, though I guess it makes sense that someone who can sense emotions can locate other people through it. But that's not what you wanted to talk about, is it?"

"No it's not," Zorian nodded. "It's not common knowledge, but empathy is just an initial expression of a much more… dangerous ability. A sufficiently skilled empath can bridge the gap between minds and connect with any person in range in order to talk to them telepathically, read their thoughts, fool their senses or mess with their memories. And aranea have been teaching me how to do that."

He paused to gauge their reactions. Well, none of them were quietly panicking or burning with outrage, so that was encouraging.

"I have no intention of doing that to any of you without permission," Zorian said. "But at the same time I need someone to practice on. The aranea aren't very suitable for this – their minds are too alien for a beginner like me to understand. I need a human volunteer, and I'm hoping for you to help me out, oh sister of mine."

"You want to read my mind?" Kirielle asked.

"To put it bluntly, yes," Zorian said.

"And if I say no, will you still teach me magic?"

"Absolutely," Zorian said. "It's a request, not blackmail. I'll just have to find someone else to help me if you refuse."

"Well, okay," she said. "I guess I'll help you. But you can't talk to anyone… about the stuff in my head. And you have to tell me all about your secrets in exchange!"

"Sure," Zorian smiled. "Sounds like a fair deal to me."

<div style="text-align: center">- break -</div>

The whole confrontation went off surprisingly well, Zorian reflected. Sure, Imaya had been avoiding him ever since and Kirielle was giving him these weird looks, but none of them were terrified on him or anything – just mildly uncomfortable. They were taking the revelation much better than he had predicted they would.

And then, of course, was Taiven, who was apparently not bothered at all by his admission that he was learning how to read people's thoughts.

"You ready, Roach?" she asked, twirling her combat staff in her hand.

"I'm ready, yeah," Zorian said, gripping his spell rod tighter.

If he knew anything about how Taiven thought – and he did – she would immediately go on the offensive. Her battle philosophy basically boiled down to 'attack hard and you won't have to defend to begin with'… though she could defend too, if pressed. He had no way to win a protracted fight with her, even if he was technically a better mage than she was, so he would have to resort to trickery if he wanted to prevail here.

It would be nice if he could eke out a win against her – her face when she lost against little old 'Roach' was bound to be absolutely glorious to behold.

A blink and suddenly there were 5 magic missiles homing in on him. He let them crash uselessly against his shield and responded with a somewhat exotic electrical spell. A beam of electricity shot towards Taiven, who erected a basic shield of her own to tank it.

Half-way towards its target, the beam split into three smaller beams – one pivoted to the left of Taiven, the other to the right, and the third one straight above it. And then they all changed their paths again and crashed against her from three different directions, completely bypassing the shield in front of her.

It wasn't enough. Somehow, Taiven managed to smoothly transition from a single-direction shield to a full aegis before the beams managed to reach her. Zorian threw a couple of smoke bombs around the training hall to blind her, relying on his mind sense to tell him where she was, and started casting a complicated spell that wasn't etched into his spell rod the moment his location got obscured by the smoke.

Taiven responded by casting several gusts of wind to disperse the smoke and hopefully catch him in the area of effect as well. She had just about stripped him of his smokescreen when he finished the spell and felt his mana reserves drain almost completely dry.

'If this doesn't work, then that's it for this fight,' he thought.

A bright beam of concentrated force shot out from his hand and slammed into Taiven's shield. The shield flared at the point of impact, shattering almost instantly, and Taiven was lifted off her feet by the impact and thrown violently against the floor. She didn't get up, rendered unconscious by the impact.

"Oops," Zorian said quietly. "I think I overdid it just a little – that could have easily killed her if the wards hadn't worked properly."

After casting a few divinations to make sure she was mostly okay and not bleeding internally or something like that, Zorian allowed himself to smile. He would have to work on his restraint, but it ''was'' a victory. And she hadn't been any gentler towards him in their previous fights, so she hardly had any right to complain about excessive force. He couldn't wait to see Taiven's face when she woke up.

<div style="text-align: center">- break -</div>

"Come on, Roach," Taiven growled. "Find those spiders of yours so we can be done with this mission. I'm getting sick of this place already."

Zorian sighed and refocused on scanning his surroundings. This would be going faster if Taiven stopped snapping at him every so often – talk about being a sore loser.

"Hey," a male voice whispered into Zorian's ear, breaking him out of thoughts. "What happened between you and Taiven to get her so bothered, anyway?"

Zorian glanced at Grunt and considered how to answer for a second. He decided to be blunt and truthful.

"I beat her in a spar," he said. "She thinks I cheated."

Grunt gave him a considering look. "You beat Taiven in a spar? Aren't you a third year?"

"Sure am," Zorian agreed, before he noticed a familiar presence on his mental map. "Oh hey, there they are."

After the initial introductions were done, Taiven immediately moved onto the reason they were down in the tunnels in the first place, only to get disappointed.

"So you don't have the watch?" Taiven asked.

"Alas, I'm afraid the next group of attackers managed to break into our treasury and escaped with a great many of our artifacts… the watch we claimed from the thief being among them," the matriarch said regretfully. "I do know where their base is, however."

This was all a bunch of bullshit, Zorian knew. The watch was indeed somewhere else – specifically in one of the forward outposts that the invaders used to launch attacks on the aranea – but it was there because the aranea had put it there. The idea was for Taiven and her group to stumble onto the outpost, realize they're stumbled onto something big – bigger than they could handle – and then report it to the authorities.

It was Zorian's job to make sure Taiven and her group survived the encounter with the invaders.

"How convenient," Zorian scoffed, "that getting the watch involves taking out one of your enemies in the process."

"A happy coincidence," the matriarch said easily. "We both get something out of it, after all – you get the location of the watch for free, and I get to deal with one of my problems without risking my Web. Now… do you want the location of the base or not?"

"Just who are these enemies of yours, anyway?" Taiven asked.

"I don't know exactly," the matriarch said. "The attackers consisted of a mage controlling two war trolls, but the base is guaranteed to have more forces than that."

"War trolls!?" Taiven blanched. "Hell, that is way more than we signed up for!"

"The guy is definitely not paying us enough to confront a couple of war trolls with mage support," Mumble said quietly.

"Maybe check it out anyway?" Zorian tried. "Like, from distance? I may be able to tell how many forces there are in the place."

"Yeah," Taiven said after considering things for a few moments. "Yeah, we should check it out at least. No offense to the matriarch here, but a bunch of guys running around the sewers with tamed war trolls sounds a bit… implausible. Maybe she saw something else."

"I suppose it's possible," the matriarch allowed. "I haven't actually seen trolls before, and haven't been personally present when the incident occurred, but they sounded very much like the trolls humans speak of."

"Right," Taiven nodded. "Where did you say this base was again?"

<div style="text-align: center">- break -</div>

The base wasn't actually in the city sewers – that part of the Dungeon was actually somewhat patrolled and monitored, and it would have been impossible to hide a large mass of soldiers there for an appreciable length of time. For that matter, the aranea didn't actually live in the sewers either, although they considered them part of their territory. Instead, both the aranean home base and the various invader outposts were situated in what was known to Cyoria authorities as the 'intermediary layer'.

It was not particularly rare for mages to descend into the intermediary layer, but it was not a common occurrence either. The intermediary layer was too dangerous for a casual stroll by an unarmed civilian, but mostly devoid of anything valuable that would attract dungeon delvers and other adventurers. The city hired mercenaries to sweep through the place every few years and get rid of any obvious threats that have set up residence, and they usually also picked the place clean of anything valuable, leaving a great expanse of little value. For those who wanted to challenge themselves against the denizens of the Underworld and search the place for riches, there was the Hole and its direct access to deeper levels that haven't been picked clean over the decades. Most of the visitors from the city consisted of an occasional thrill-seeking student and an occasional patrol to keep an eye on things.

The invaders chose the timing of their invasion well. The city was so focused on the summer festival and its associated problems that it didn't pay attention to what was happening in the dungeon at all. This would normally not be such a problem, as very few problems could spring out of nothing in a couple of measly months – especially with little to no indication that something big was happening – but now…

"Holy shit," Taiven whispered, peering from behind their cover to look at the camp again. "They've got a freaking army there!"

"Get down you idiot," Grunt growled at her, pulling her down behind the rock they were using as cover. "Do you ''want'' them to see you? If they notice us, we're dead. There must be at least a 100 trolls down there and at least 20 handlers."

"Sorry," Taiven said. "It's just… so unreal."

Zorian had to agree. He was expecting it, and he was still surprised at the scale of what they were seeing. Then again, this was why the matriarch had chosen this particular base out of the 12 or so she knew of. The others were smaller and much better hidden, but this particular base was situated in a large open cavern and had enough artificial illumination that a human observer could see the whole camp easily from a sufficiently high vantage… like the one they were using, for example. In fact, the vantage point they were using was pretty much ''perfect'' for observing the camp.

'Hmm, I wonder…'

He silently ran his fingers against the walls of the tunnel that brought them here. It was bumpy but smooth. ''Far'' too smooth to be natural. The rock they were hiding behind was the same.

'Apparently this was an even more of a set up than I thought it was,' Zorian thought. 'I bet one of the aranean mages made this tunnel specifically so we could find it. It would explain why no one seemed to be paying any attention to this particular entrance, even though the other two are both guarded – they don't even know it existed.'

Well, whatever – time to do his part in this charade. He pulled out a mirror from his backpack and silently cast a scrying spell on it. The base had a divination ward, of course, but it was based on the idea of stopping people from realizing that the base was there to begin with. Since Zorian knew that the camp existed and where it was, and was in fact right next to it, the entire ward was pretty much useless against him.

After 5 minutes of watching the camp through the mirror, Taiven decided she had seen enough and motioned him to cancel the spell.

"Let's go," she said. "I want to get out of here before our luck runs out."

They almost made it out without complications. Almost.

As the four of them approached one of the seals between the sewers and the deeper layers of the dungeon, they suddenly came face to face with a duo of hooded mages flanked by 4 trolls. For a moment, both groups halted and tried to make sense of what they were seeing, neither group really expecting to stumble upon each other. Zorian noted with annoyance that their mental presence was somehow muted – no doubt a countermeasure against the aranea – and cursed himself for thinking that his opponents wouldn't have some way of dealing with mind sense.

The impasse was broken when one of the mages ordered the trolls to charge.

Neither Taiven nor her two teammates hesitated when faced with four war trolls charging at them, raising their staff to blast the attackers before they could overrun them. Zorian decided to keep the mages busy instead and fired a small missile swarm and four piercers, two for each mage.

Several things happened simultaneously. One of the mages dropped whatever spell he was casting and raised a shield to successfully tank the missiles coming towards him. The other was less skilled and fumbled his shield – both piercers hit him straight in the chest and he went down in a shower of blood. Grunt and Mumble used quick flamethrowers to halt the charge of the trolls, but while three of the trolls did flinch away from the flames, the largest, best-armored troll lurched forward, a little dazed but unharmed.

Taiven hit them all with a battering ram of force, intending to knock the whole group down and give them some space, and for the most part succeeded – the three recovering trolls and the surviving mage were hurled deeper into the tunnel and away from them, but that one troll at the front kept its ground.

It raised its huge iron mace for an overhead strike and screamed out a challenge, its shout staggering them like a physical blow, acting almost like a lesser version of the battering ram that Taiven just cast. Strange, Zorian had always thought trolls had no magic other than their absurd regenerative capabilities.

He had no time to consider this, however, as the troll immediately capitalized on the distraction it caused and surged forward.

Frantically, Zorian erected a large shield in front of the group, trying to buy time. Sadly, unlike the other trolls Zorian had battled in the previous restarts, this once was too smart to just crash into the shield. It smashed it's mace into the shield with great force – once, twice, three times. The shield broke and the troll kicked him in the chest, catapulting him backwards where he collided with Grunt and Mumble and interrupted whatever they were about to cast.

Taiven, on the other hand, managed to finish hers. A vortex of fire surged forward, finishing off the surviving mage and the three other trolls that were moving the aid their comrade but leaving the lead troll merely singed.

And very, very angry.

"Shit," Taiven said quietly, as the troll raised its mace for a killing strike.

Even though he knew her death wouldn't be permanent, even though he had known there was a chance for this to happen when he had agreed to participate in this plan, Zorian found himself completely horrified at the idea of watching Taiven get crushed to death. Killed because of him and his plots and schemes…

He reached out to the troll's mind and noticed it was no longer being muted – while Taiven's spell failed to incinerate the troll, it seemed to have burned out whatever protected it from mind magic. Rather than try any sort of sophisticated attack, he simply flooded it with meaningless drivel, blasting its mind with random telepathy.

The troll flinched in shock and spasmed, halting its attack and dropping the mace it was holding. Zorian immediately threw two explosive cubes at its feet.

"Taiven, get back!"

She didn't have to be told twice, immediately snapping out of her daze and scrambling backwards out of the troll's reach. Zorian activated the bombs as soon as he judged her out of reach and the troll was enveloped in a deafening explosion.

Somehow, it still survived. It was kneeling and clutching its leg in pain, and bleeding all over, but Zorian could already see its flesh knitting together.

Damn it, what was it with this one troll!? Was it a super-troll or something?

And then two ice blue beams impacted directly into the troll's chest, courtesy of Grunt and Mumble, and the creature immediately froze over and went still.

"Is it finally dead?" he asked.

"I don't know and don't care," Taiven said. "Let's get lost before we meet another one."

Zorian took a deep, shuddering breath and nodded in assent. Then he tried to take a step and winced at the pain in his leg. He could walk, but he just knew he was going to be hurting for the rest of the week.

'This better be worth it, you damn manipulative spider,' he inwardly thought.

<div style="text-align: center">- break -</div>

[So it's all done?] the matriarch asked.

Zorian gripped the stone disk in his hand tighter. [Yes. I just said so, didn't I? Thankfully, there were no actual casualties, though it was close. In many ways our close brush with death works in favor of your plan, since Taiven is really pissed about these people now and determined to bring them to justice. She is going to report the whole thing tomorrow to the city authorities. I sincerely hope it wasn't you who arranged for us to stumble onto that group, Miss Spear of Resolve, or I'll be very angry at you.]

[Don't worry, I had nothing to do with it,] the matriarch assured him.

[Right,] Zorian sighed. Maybe he was being paranoid, but the matriarch's behavior had grown ever more secretive over the past few restarts and he wouldn't put it past her to pull something like that. [How about you? Is your task done?]

[Yes,] the matriarch confirmed. [I have contacted Zach and told him that the aranea are aware of the time loop.]

<noinclude>
==Author's Notes and References==
<references />

{{MotherofLearningNavbar
|[[Mother of Learning:Volume_01_Chapter_023|Chapter 023]]
|[[Mother of Learning:Volume_01_Chapter_025|Chapter 025]]
}}
</noinclude>

Mother of Learning:Volume 01 Chapter 011

2015-08-26T20:36:26Z

Chocolatkey: /* Limiters */

=== Limiters ===

"Why is your test longer than mine?" Benisek whispered to him hurriedly. "Did I lose a page or something?"

"You didn't," Zorian whispered back. "Nora is just testing me because… well, it doesn't matter. I'll tell you later."

Zorian sighed and continued pondering the advanced spell formula questions in front of him. As if the original 60 question test hadn't been enough! Worse, Nora took a page out of Ilsa's book and decided to test him on knowledge that he technically shouldn't even have, because the additional questions had nothing to do with second year curriculum. Thankfully, he had actually read all 12 of her 'recommended' books over the course of several previous restarts, so he wasn't ''completely'' stumped while looking at the piece of paper in front of him.

Still, the additional questions were encouraging, since they suggested Nora was taking him a lot more seriously than she usually did when he asked for some advanced instructions out of her. In the handful of restarts he had tried, the results were underwhelming – while enthusiastic about her subject, Nora Boole never seemed to believe he was as advanced as he claimed. All of his teachers were like that, as far as he could tell from his initial attempts, with Kyron being the biggest exception. Though now that he thought about it, that probably had more to do with the ease with which his proficiency with the magic missile spell could be demonstrated, rather than Kyron's inclination to believe his claims. In any case, the sheer speed with which things were happening gave him hope – it was only yesterday that he and Ilsa had talked in her office, and already Nora was testing him. That was absurdly fast, since teachers liked to take their time about things like this. Zorian had expected the entire process to take a week, ''at least''. Apparently he had left an even bigger impression on Ilsa than he thought he had.

Good. It was nice to have a confirmation that he was actually going somewhere, rather than just wasting his time.

A few minutes later his peace was once again broken by Benisek. He gritted his teeth as the boy started to pester him for answers. Zorian had always found Benisek to be somewhat annoying, despite him being Zorian's best friend (or at least the closest thing to it), but Zorian found himself steadily losing his patience with the boy as restart after restart went by. It wasn't really fair to Benisek – the chubby boy was behaving no worse than his usual fare – but the time loop made Benisek's antics annoyingly repetitive. He quickly scribbled answers to a handful of questions on a piece of paper and thrust it at Benisek. Benisek looked like he would say something to him in his not-whisper (Benisek whispered far too loudly for it to be called a real whisper), but Zorian silenced him with a quick glare.

As annoying as Benisek might be, Zorian wasn't ready to give up on him just yet. Whether that resolve would hold throughout the entire time loop remained to be seen, however.

"All right, time's up. Pencils down, everyone," Nora said, earning her a wave of protests from the student body. "Except for mister Kazinski, that is. He can keep working on that special second test I gave him."

Zorian cursed internally as all eyes momentarily shifted towards him. She just had to tell that in front of the whole class, didn't she? He made a note to himself to watch what he said in front of Nora, since discretion obviously wasn't her strong suit.

Akoja hurriedly collected all the tests, lingering slightly longer near his desk so she could see what his 'special' test was all about. After that, the class continued as normal. It was the exact same thing he had already listened to countless times before in the previous restarts, so he did his best to block it out and continue solving the test. Even with his massively unfair advantage, the test was rather hard. Spell formula in general involved a lot of mathematics and geometry, as the very name of the discipline hinted at, and that automatically made it hard for a lot of people… him included.

Eventually the class came to an end, and Nora asked him to stay behind while everyone else filed out of the classroom. She immediately started to look over his tests when the last of his classmates left, and Zorian watched her intently for a reaction.

Unlike Xvim, or even Ilsa, Nora Boole was a very expressive woman. By the time she had reached the end of the first test, he could see she was pleasantly surprised. She damn well should be, considering it was 100% correct. When she started inspecting the second test, though, her face quickly morphed into first shock, and then barely restrained glee. Evidently she liked what she saw. Finally she set the test aside and met his eyes, giving him a penetrating gaze that actually caused Zorian to flinch a little. She reminded him of Zach and Kirithishli, because she seemed to radiate a similar sort of… vibrancy, for the lack of a better word. It was always a bit uncomfortable being around people like that, especially when they were focused solely on him like Nora currently was.

"Well…" she began. "I didn't expect that. Do you know why I gave you the second test?"

"Uh, no," said Zorian. "To scare me off?"

"Exactly!" Nora exclaimed. "Exactly!"

Zorian blinked, unable to believe she actually admitted that to his face.

"Spell formulas require bravery! They require passion!" continued Nora animatedly. Funny. Everyone else said they required patience and meticulousness. "They require determination! Anyone who is scared off by this little thing here," she waved the second test in front of his face, "will surely give up when we delve into the truly difficult parts of the discipline. I had to make sure you wouldn't bail out on me somewhere along the line."

Zorian was starting to feel a little unnerved by Nora's outburst. Was he signing up for spell formula tutoring or cult membership?

"Of course, I didn't actually expect you to solve any of the questions correctly," Nora said. "I just wanted to see if you'd leave it completely blank. Not that I'm complaining, far from it! Let's see…"

She went back to her desk and pulled out a stack of papers out of a drawer. She frowned as she leafed through them, apparently unhappy about their contents, before finally setting them aside with a sigh. After an entire minute of silence, she glanced towards him and shook her head, as if suddenly remembering he was still there.

"Tell me, what are spell formulas?" she asked him. "And I don't want to hear a textbook definition. I want to hear it in your words."

Zorian opened his mouth for a moment and then quickly snapped it shut as he considered what to say.

"Come on," Nora encouraged. "Bravery, remember? Besides, I just want to know your opinion. There is no right answer."

Hah. There might be no right answer, but Zorian knew from experience that there was always a ''wrong'' answer. Always. But he supposed that, in this particular instance, silence was the worst answer of them all.

"It's the practice of using geometric shapes and various sigils to modify spells, usually in order to strengthen wards or amplify spellcasting," said Zorian.

"Really? How do they do that?" asked Nora in mock curiosity.

"Err… they limit mana flow along pre-determined pathways?" tried Zorian.

"Yes!" agreed Nora. "They limit, that's exactly what they do! I can't tell you how many mages think they're some kind of inherent amplifier or something. Drives me crazy, I tell you. Of course, most modern crafters use special materials that ''are'' inherent amplifiers, but that's something else entirely. Anyway, you know the point behind structured spellcasting, right?"

"The narrower the effect of the spell is, the more mana efficient it becomes. Structured magic creates a spell boundary to forcibly narrow down effect space into something manageable for a human spellcaster."

"And spell formulas are the exact same thing, only with more pronounced benefits and drawbacks," said Nora. "Since mages can take their time when crafting the spell formula, they limit the mana flow much more tightly than your typical invocation. This means bigger potential benefits, but also makes the spell even more inflexible. And, of course, the tighter spell boundary means there is less margin for errors, so designing a working spell formula is a lot harder than designing a working invocation."

Zorian waited patiently until she was finished, not really sure why she was telling him these things – this was all basic theory that he had heard and read a thousand times – but unwilling to interrupt. Unfortunately, it appeared he would have to wait to hear what the point of her little questioning was, because Nora suddenly looked at the clock hanging by the door and blanched when she realized how much time had passed.

"Sorry mister Kazinski, I guess I got carried away. You better go to the next class before I get you in trouble," Nora said apologetically. Zorian shrugged – he had intended to skip the next class one way or another, but it probably wouldn't impress her much if he told her that. "I'll need a few days to set up schedule, so I'll tell you the details via Ilsa. We'll have a blast working together, I can already tell."

He was just about to leave when she suddenly started talking again.

"Oh! I almost forgot. Go see Ilsa sometimes today – she has something she wants to talk to you about. Something about you returning a favor you owe her for setting this up…"

Now why did that sound kind of ominous?

<div style="text-align: center">- break -</div>

Cyoria's main train station was always busy. There was a sort of hurried feeling suffusing the entire area that Zorian found either annoying or invigorating, depending on his current mood. When he was disembarking from the train, it served as a metaphorical bucket of cold water to wake him up from the long sleepy journey, and he welcomed it. When he was simply standing on platform number 6, waiting for the train to arrive, it was oppressive and unwelcome, and he desperately wished he knew how to suppress it. Especially since the damned train was 2 hours late!

In order to amuse himself and pass the time, he had taken to harassing the numerous pigeons and sparrows milling around the place. Not physically, of course – that would be not only childish, but would also cause people to stare at him – he was instead pushing his mana at them, trying to control them mentally. Of course, simply pushing mana at something and wishing for it to happen wasn't enough to do real magic, but it did seem to agitate them a lot. Typically, whatever bird he was concentrating on became increasingly erratic as seconds went by before fleeing away from the area after a minute or so.

Finally, ''finally'', the shrill whistle of the incoming train broke him out of his concentration, and the local wildlife was spared further indignation. Zorian scanned the crowd of people disembarking from the train, searching for his target. He was technically supposed to hold a sign and wait, but he was confident he could spot the guy without problem. It's not like there'd be many white-haired teenagers on the train platform, after all.

It actually wasn't as bad as he thought it would be, this favor Ilsa had asked of him. Admittedly, helping a transfer student carry his luggage and showing him around the city would waste an entire day… but on the bright side, he was excused from attending today's classes! Besides, it would give him a legitimate excuse to approach Kael, the transfer student in question – the morlock boy was a bit unapproachable even at the best of days, and Zorian had been thinking of trying to befriend him. He really ought to find some friends beside Benisek, and Kael seemed like someone he could get along well with. If he turned out to be wrong… well, it's not like the morlock would remember any awkwardness between them once the time loop reset itself again, would he?

Finally he spotted Kael disembarking and moved towards him to help him with his luggage. It wasn't just an empty gesture of good will on Zorian's part, either – Kael was clearly having problems with his burden, probably because he could only use one arm to manipulate the heavy bags. The other hand was currently supporting a little girl that clung to Kael's side like a barnacle, observing everything around her with childlike intensity.

Kael was momentarily surprised when Zorian wordlessly started helping him, but quickly went along with it. The little girl clutching his side was now staring at Zorian with undisguised curiosity, and Zorian wondered who she was. Was this his little sister? Her vivid blue eyes certainly reminded him of Kael, since the morlock had eyes of the exact same shade, but her hair was jet black, and she didn't look very much like a morlock to Zorian. And in any case, surely the boy wouldn't bring a child this young with him? Zorian kept expecting her mother to step out of the train and take the little girl out of Kael's hands, but somehow that never happened.

Finally the last of the bags was standing on the floor and Kael finally turned towards him.

"Thank you," the boy said politely. For all his aloofness, Kael was never actually rude. "I'm Kael Tverinov. I'm not normally this inept, but it's hard to handle the luggage with one hand. Kana has been rather clingy today, and I didn't have the heart to pry her off. The move was too stressful for her, I'm afraid."

"It's no problem," Zorian said. "I'm here to help, after all – that's what Ilsa sent me here for. I'm Zorian Kazinski, one of your classmates. Ilsa Zileti sent me here to help you with your luggage and show you around the city."

Kael gave him a startled look, clutching the little girl attached to his hip like Zorian was about to snatch her away.

"What?" Zorian asked, surprised at the alarm in the boy's posture. "Was it something I said? I didn't mean to offend."

Kael gave him a long, suspicious look, before finally reaching a decision of some sort.

"You didn't do anything, mister Kazinski, and it is I who should apologize," Kael said finally. "Allow me to introduce myself again: I am Kael Tverinov, and this is my daughter, Kana."

Zorian stared at the morlock for a moment, before glancing at his… daughter. Kana gave him a shy wave, but otherwise remained silent. She was very young, probably around 3 years of age, but Kael wasn't much older than Zorian. That would mean Kael was 13 or so at the time she was born. Huh. Talk about being a young parent.

"I see," he said finally. And he really did, too. Kael probably got enough grief from people around him over being a morlock without adding this sort of fuel to the fire. If Zorian was in his place, he would have done everything he could to keep this sort of thing from his classmates as well. "If you're afraid I'll go around telling all our classmates about you having a daughter, you don't have to worry – I understand the need for discretion in matters like this."

Kael breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Zorian said, waving him off. Considering the child's mother wasn't here with them, there was probably a very stressful story in there somewhere. He would have to be a total jackass to set the academy rumor mill on the poor guy by telling them about this. He was a little curious as to how the boy intended to watch over his daughter while attending the academy, but supposed he had already arranged for a nanny of some sort for the child. "I'll just cast a quick spell to carry your luggage and then we'll be off."

Zorian quickly cast the 'floating disc' spell, and a ghostly horizontal circle flickered into existence in front of them. It was a very useful spell that they were supposed to learn in Ilsa's class somewhere in the middle of the third year, but Zorian had been proactive enough to track it down in one of the restarts. It was similar to the 'shield' spell in mechanics, but this particular force construct was mobile and optimized for supporting weight as opposed to absorbing blows. It dutifully floated after them as they started walking out of the train station.

"Interesting," Kael said. "I must admit that, when Ilsa told me my education is severely lacking in many areas, I thought she was exaggerating. Is this what an average third-year student is like?"

"Well, no," said Zorian. "I'm actually way beyond what a third-year student should be. Though I'm hardly unique in my skill…"

Kael hummed thoughtfully.

"Why would your education be lacking, anyway?" asked Zorian.

Kael remained silent for a few seconds, and Zorian was just about to conclude the morlock wasn't interested in talking when the boy finally decided to answer.

"My education was… unconventional," said Kael. "I was a sort of unofficial apprentice to a village mage. One that wasn't a member of the guild. Her skills were somewhat specialized, so much of my proficiency with magic is a product of my own personal efforts. In other words, I'm largely self-taught."

Zorian's respect for the other boy rose a few notches after hearing this. Magic was hard enough to learn with proper instruction. For a young boy to go at it all by himself and get far enough to join a third-year class… though if he's such a genius…

"I hope I'm not being too nosy, but-"

"But why am I going into Cyoria, now?" guessed Kael. "I got a pretty good offer from the academy, and it wasn't like I had anyone stopping me from leaving. My parents died when I was young, and my teacher… she got sick during the Weeping. As did my wife. Kana is the only family I have left."

Zorian flinched. "Oh gods, I didn't mean-"

Kael shook his head. "Don't worry about it, mister Kazinski. If I was to fall apart every time someone broached that topic, I would have to become a hermit and avoid people completely. It is natural to be curious about these things."

Zorian still felt pretty terrible. He had pretty much assumed Kael had gotten some girl pregnant and later had to take responsibility for the child. But no, the guy had been married and everything. A bit shocking to marry and have children so young in this day and age, but hardly unheard of. He studied Kael out of the corner of his eyes in the resulting silence. The boy looked very delicate, with pale, willowy physique and gentle facial lines. Coupled with his shoulder-length white hair, it gave him a rather… feminine appearance. Nonetheless, the boy clearly had no shortage of inner strength if he could move on after losing so many people to the horrible sickness. Back in Cirin, there was a woman who had lost a husband and both sons to the bloody tears fever, and never managed to move past that. She had actually blamed the entire Kazinski family for her tragedy, claiming they had used their 'magic powers' to curse her loved ones because of some petty disagreement. Zorian would be the first person to admit he and his family were no angels, but that was just absurd. And kind of sad.

"There is no need to pity me, mister Kazinski," said Kael, breaking him out of his thoughts.

"Oh, I don't pity you," Zorian said. "I think you're very inspiring, actually. You're a single parent who somehow managed to find the time to teach himself magic to such a degree that a world-renowned institution like the academy in Cyoria acknowledged your potential. They gave you a scholarship, didn't they?"

Kael nodded. "I wouldn't be able to attend otherwise."

"They rarely give out scholarships, you know?" Zorian said. "About 5 to 6 of them each year. You must be pretty amazing to have caught their attention like that."

"It's mostly my medical expertise," Kael sighed. "I made a vow to myself after… well, you know. I swore to myself I would become the best healer of the age and make sure a tragedy such as the Weeping can never happen again."

Uh… wow. Zorian didn't know what to say to something like that.

"I made quite a lot progress on that front, if you permit me to be a little immodest here." Kael said. "But… well, it's complicated. We can talk later, if you're still interested. Me and Kana are rather tired from the journey and I'd like to retire for the day. Kana especially."

Zorian suddenly noticed Kana was starting to doze off on Kael's shoulder. She had been so quiet throughout his entire interaction with Kael that he had almost forgotten she's there. If only Kirielle could be that docile.

"Yes, sorry about that," Zorian apologized. "I got carried away, I guess. I'll have to give you a tour of the city some other time, then."

They spent the rest of the walk in comfortable silence.

<div style="text-align: center">- break -</div>

"You were absent yesterday."

Zorian gave Akoja an annoyed look. She wasn't going to give him grief over that, was she?

"I was excused," he noted.

"I know," Akoja said. "I was just wondering where you were."

Zorian was about to tell her it wasn't her damn business where he went in his free time, but then he reconsidered. He was getting strange vibes off Akoja, almost as if she was… ''concerned'' about him. Very strange. Normally he would write it off as just another weird thing Akoja did from time to time – the girl seemed to have logic all of her own sometimes, one that not even her obsession with rules could explain – but his recent conversation with Kael stopped him. Was he too dismissive of other people? Up until yesterday, Kael was simply 'that morlock transfer student' to Zorian… It brought back memories of his conversations with Zach, and the other boy's remarks about Zorian's behavior in previous restarts, before he became aware of the time loop.

"I was doing a favor for Ilsa," Zorian said. "Showing our newest transfer student around the city and such."

"Oh," Akoja said, glancing at Kael for a moment. The white-haired boy was sitting several rows behind Zorian, silent and aloof as always. He gave virtually no indication that he knew Zorian was in the classroom, but Zorian could feel the morlock's eyes on him from time to time. "Who is he anyway?"

"Kael Tverinov," Zorian answered.

"I didn't mean his name," Akoja huffed, realizing, after a few seconds of silence, that he wasn't going to say anything else.

"Not sure what else to tell you," Zorian shrugged. "He sounded like a good person to me."

"He looks kind of arrogant," Akoja remarked. "And girly."

"Well how judgmental of you," Zorian remarked with a frown. "You come off as a bit arrogant yourself, you know?"

Well, so much for being nice to Akoja! She stomped off soon after that, shooting him a nasty glare.

Resolving to be more understanding towards people was hard.

<div style="text-align: center">- break -</div>

It took Nora Boole only 2 days to organize their first lesson, and the moment Zorian stepped into the classroom Nora had reserved for them he realized Nora was taking this very seriously. It was a professional-looking workshop, the sort that students normally couldn't access without special permission from the teachers. Nora beckoned him forward, positively radiating excitement and enthusiasm. Suddenly he remembered why he had been pensive about getting instruction from her. Considering the amount of homework and additional reading Nora assigned as a matter of course during her classes, Zorian dreaded finding out what she considered an appropriate workload for an actually talented student.

"Ah, you're too quiet!" she complained. "Courage, Zorian, courage!"

"Right," agreed Zorian half-heartedly.

"We'll make a proper crafter out of you yet, just you see!" huffed Nora. "But first, let me just wrap up our discussion from last time. I was a little long-winded, but what I had been trying to build up to was that spell formula are… support magic. Magic affecting other magic. By itself, even the most elegant spell formula is merely a theoretical exercise. You need to actually cast the spells and anchor them to the spell formula before it's of any use. I note this because Ilsa seemed to think your skill in invocations would do you no good in my subject, which annoyed me because it revealed a fundamental misunderstanding about the nature of the discipline. Which is very disappointing, coming from her, since she is… well, you know…"

"A teacher," finished Zorian.

"Yeah," Nora agreed, a little awkwardly. Teachers rarely spoke ill of one another, in Zorian's experience, so it was no wonder why she was uncomfortable criticizing Ilsa in front of a student. They did have to work with one another on a regular basis, after all, and undermining other teacher's authority like that could get ugly very quickly. Fortunately, only Zorian was present in this case, and he didn't intend to make trouble for her. She seemed to realize it too, after a moment, because she smiled and continued as if nothing had happened. "Anyway, I guess we should get you started on the beginner's cube."

As it turned out, the beginner's cube was a perfectly cubical block of grey stone, each side roughly 10 centimeters long. The one Zorian was given was completely blank and smooth, but Nora showed him a couple of finished ones as a demonstration. They did things like heat up, shed light, or float in the air when activated, or when certain conditions were met. Basically, each finished cube was a crude magic item that used a couple of simple spells and a whole lot of spell formula to produce a neat little toy. They were a standard training tool, according to Nora.

Zorian wanted one the moment he had laid his eyes on them. Giving such a blatantly magical toy to Kirielle would probably keep her out of his hair for ''hours''. It would be his secret weapon against her! Besides, a small floating cube would make a much more challenging target for his magic missile practice than the boulders and tree trunks he usually practiced on. Especially if he could somehow get it to dodge…

He wouldn't have to wait long to acquire one, as it turned out – crafting one was the idea behind today's lesson. And not just any beginner's cube, either. Zorian had expected Nora to give him something easy for a start, but apparently she had something a little more… ambitious… in mind.

"But those ones are too easy for you," Nora concluded. "No, I have something much more fun for you to work on. Here."

She handed him another cube, though this one was positively covered with spell formula. Zorian noted with rising dread that he couldn't make heads or tails with it. Hell, many of the sections looked like mere placeholders instead of working spell formula, being little more than stylized pictograms. Wait…

"As you may have noticed, I compressed the spell formula somewhat," Nora said. "Partially it's because there wasn't enough space on the cube to represent it fully in its raw form, and partially to stop you from simply copying the entire thing line by line on the blank one I gave you earlier."

"Isn't that the whole point?" Zorian asked. "For me to study a working example to see how it's done, that is?"

"Absolutely. But I'm afraid blindly copying the spell formula from one cube to another won't teach you what I want you to learn. If I thought you needed to practice memorization and precision, I'd have you copy a dozen or so easy ones to start with, but I'm sure you're already beyond that. No one spends as much time on spell formula theory as you have without trying out some practical examples."

"Err, I never encountered anything like those cubes in the texts I read," said Zorian. "But yes, I have been using spell formulas from time to time. Mostly to establish an alarm perimeter around my bed during my second year – I had a really nosy roommate – and also to make some free lamps and heating plates."

Invocations didn't last long. Even if a mage poured more mana into them than absolutely necessary – and there was only so much you could overpower a spell before it shattered from the strain – they inevitably degraded after a couple of hours at most. The spell boundary degraded with time and eventually fell apart, regardless of whether the spell had enough mana left or not. As a consequence, if Zorian wanted his alarm spell to last throughout the entire night, or his makeshift lamp not to wink out every hour or so, he had to stabilize the spell boundary somehow. Spell formulas were the easiest and most reliable way to do that, so long as someone already crafted a stabilization formula for that particular spell and made it available to the public.

"It's not very surprising you never encountered beginner's cubes in your reading," Nora said. "They're mostly used for theoretical exercises. Not very useful. Most mages don't really care how spell formulas work – only that they do. They memorize the well-documented formulas and some quick-and-dirty methods of modifying existing ones, and then they only have to know when to apply which one. Then they say spell formulas are dry and boring. Hah! If only they knew the true mysteries of the Art, the hidden beauty of numbers and geometry…"

Zorian listened stoically as Nora mumbled to herself about 'unimaginative rabble' and 'sleeping in the bed they made for themselves' for a while. After a while she took a deep breath and plastered a pleasant smile on her face before turning her attention to him again.

There was no sane teacher in this school, it seemed. Zorian wondered whether it was the stress of teaching itself that was producing these kind of effects, or if you simply had to be crazy to accept a teaching position here.

"But I digress," Nora said cheerfully. "I guess I should stop wasting our time and tell you what I want you to do. Here, let me demonstrate…"

<div style="text-align: center">- break -</div>

The cube Nora wanted Zorian to recreate was quite complicated. At its core, it was a glorified lamp using a simple 'torch' spell as its base. It could be activated and deactivated verbally, by saying one of the several command words, and it had to be able to tell when someone was referring to it specifically, as opposed to using the command word in some other context. It had three different brightness settings. It conserved mana by not shedding light from any side that was covered by something – the side resting on the floor didn't shine, for example, and wrapping it in a blanket would cause it to turn itself off. Each individual side could be turned on and off by tapping on it twice in quick succession. It could be keyed in to a specific person, taking orders from him or her alone.

Nora had told him not to worry if he couldn't duplicate it exactly – she only wanted to see how far he'd get on his own by the next time they met. That was good, because this assignment was far more complex than anything spell formula related he had done up until now. Their next session was on Monday, so he had an entire weekend to work with, but he doubted he could fully rise to the challenge.

He had mixed feelings about Nora's teaching methods. On one hand, she was taking him seriously, and that was good. On the other hand, she seemed to think that throwing a person overboard was a perfectly valid way of teaching people how to swim, metaphorically speaking.

"Come in."

Zorian sighed before stepping into Xvim's office. What a wonderful way to end a week. For all her faults, he infinitely preferred Nora's way of teaching compared to that of Xvim.

"Zorian Kazinski? Sit down, please," Xvim ordered, not even bothering to wait for an answer. Zorian caught the pen the man had thrown at him with practiced ease, and then promptly caused it to float off the palm of his hand, gently spinning in the air. Woops. He hadn't meant to do that. Oh well, let's see what the man will say about that.

"Make it glow," Xvim barked out without skipping a beat, completely unfazed by Zorian's skill.

Zorian wasn't even surprised anymore. The pen promptly snapped back to his hand and erupted in soft ghostly glow. He cycled through various colors without prompting from Xvim, occasionally changing the intensity of the light just to prove he could.

Xvim arched his eyebrow at him. "I didn't say you could stop levitating the pen."

Zorian's lips twitched in an aborted smile. If Xvim thought he would stump him with that, he was very much mistaken – combining two different shaping exercises was an obvious thing to do, and Zorian had already tried it. Moments later, the pen was spinning in the air in front of him, glowing.

Xvim tapped his finger on the desk thoughtfully. Was it possible? Had he really managed to give the man pause? The world was coming to an end! Zorian watched in anticipation, wondering what the crazy man would think up next.

"I suppose there is no point in testing your ability to burn things. That was always the easiest exercise of the three," Xvim mused. As a point of fact, Zorian was a bit deficient in the burning exercise… at least compared to the other two. Not that he was going to tell that to Xvim, of course. "Your essentials are… adequate. Almost decent, though not quite. Your attitude could use some work, but I suppose you at least have more tact than most of the unfortunates that haunt these halls. Plus, Miss Zileti has appealed to me on your behalf, asking me to be 'not such a hard-ass' towards you. As such, as much as I'd like to shake up your woefully shaky foundations, I'm going to reluctantly move on to something ''slightly'' more advanced."

To Zorian's great confusion, Xvim handed him a strip of cloth. What was he supposed to do what ''that''?

"Err…"

"It's a blindfold," Xvim explained. "You put it over your eyes so you can't see."

"And… why do I need a blindfold again?" Zorian asked.

"We're going to train your ability to sense mana," said Xvim. "You're going to put the blindfold on, and then I'm going to throw these mana-charged marbles at you."

Zorian stared at the man incredulously. Had he really heard him right?

"I'm either going to throw them over your left shoulder, over your right shoulder, or straight at your head. If you get hit by a marble, you lose a point. If you move when you don't have to, you lose a point. Otherwise you receive a point. We'll stop when you accrue 10 points or our time runs out."

Yes, he really ''had'' heard him right. Thank you so much for your help Ilsa, thank you ''so'' much!

<div style="text-align: center">- break -</div>

The next two weeks were busy, but routine. He directed most of his efforts towards mastering spell formulas, largely because Nora was very willing to indulge him – the harder he tried in their lessons, the more enthusiastic she became about teaching him. She even suggested they meet on Sundays for additional instruction, apparently not having any private obligations to distract her. He had learned much, but Nora set a grueling pace, and he was glad the restart was fast approaching. He doubted he could last much more than a month of Nora's teaching.

Interestingly, he seemed to be attracting attention from the teachers and students alike in this particular restart. Maybe it was him impressing Ilsa as much as he did, maybe it was the way he quietly went with the insane workload Nora gave him, or maybe Xvim said something nice about him to the other teachers. Well, probably not that last part, since he had made little progress in mastering Xvim's current 'exercise'. In any case, he was getting a lot of attention for his efforts, which was rather curious. Most of the time, no matter how hard he tried in class, everyone was pretty flat about it. He thought about trying to turn to leverage all that attention into something useful, but he was too exhausted by his studies to plot properly. Some other restart perhaps.

The attention had the unfortunate side-effect of wrecking any chance he had of befriending Kael. Associating with Zorian would surely bring great scrutiny on the morlock, something the boy was understandably concerned about, so Zorian wasn't surprised the other boy never sought him out. Frankly, he wasn't sure he could befriend the boy even in normal circumstances – the morlock had a daughter waiting for him at home, and thus probably wouldn't want to spend his time after class socializing with friends.

Akoja was extremely pleased with him, though. Zorian couldn't really understand why, but she was.

And then it happened. Suddenly, without any warning, there was a wrenching sensation and everything went black. He woke up, as usual, with Kirielle lying on top of him, looking smug.

There were two possibilities that Zorian could think of to explain this occurrence. The first one was that something or someone had killed him so fast he was dead before he realized it. He was skeptical of this, as he had done nothing to warrant an assassination, and he couldn't think of any natural force that could kill so suddenly and thoroughly. He hadn't even felt any pain before he died.

The second possibility was much more likely, and also much more worrying. While he was minding his business, learning spell formulas in Cyoria, Zach was off somewhere in the world, doing insanely dangerous things. Zach died. When he did, his soul was dragged into the past to start over… and it dragged ''Zorian's'' soul back with it.

Which would make Zorian soul-bonded to Zach.

Damn it.

<noinclude>
==Author's Notes and References==
<references />

{{MotherofLearningNavbar
|[[Mother of Learning:Volume_01_Chapter_010|Chapter 010]]
|[[Mother of Learning:Volume_01_Chapter_012|Chapter 012]]
}}
</noinclude>

Mother of Learning:Volume 01 Chapter 009

2015-08-26T20:35:31Z

Chocolatkey: /* Cheaters */

=== Cheaters ===

"Majara," intoned Zorian, finishing the spell with the word he wanted the spell to search for. He felt the spell reach out around him, scanning the books in the surrounding shelves for any mention of the word in question, and poured some more mana into the spell to expand its radius. His efforts to overcharge the spell almost unraveled it, forcing him to spend several seconds stabilizing the spell boundary, but in the end the mana flow snapped into its proper place and the spell finished its task as planned. Seven golden threads flickered into existence, seemingly growing out of his chest and connecting him to various books in this particular section of the library.

Zorian smiled. The spell was one of the book divinations Ibery had taught him, one that sought out books containing a specified word or string of words. It was a somewhat fragile spell, failing if the number of positive matches exceeded a certain number – the exact number depending on the caster's skill. It was mostly used to search for quotes or really exotic terms.

Exotic terms like, say, the dead language of Majara. Zenomir hadn't been kidding when he had told Zorian that he wouldn't be able to find any books about it – there were no books specifically about the Majara language, and very few books even mentioned it. Up until now, he had only found 13 other books that contained the word, and most of them only in the form of a throwaway comment or two. It was possible that the knowledge he sought existed somewhere in the library, only in a format that was invisible to the divinations he was using – Ibery had only taught him the very basics of 'library magic', as she called it, so his searches were painfully crude in the grand scheme of things – but if that was the case, there was little he could do about it.

He glanced down at the threads growing out of his chest and waved his hand through them, watching it pass through them without effect. He never got tired of doing that. Well, he probably would, in time, but the novelty hadn't worn off yet. The threads were an illusion, existing only in the privacy of his own mind. Every divination spell needed a medium through which it could present information to the caster, since it was impossible for human minds to process the raw output of a divination spell. A self-imposed illusion like the threads he was currently looking at was actually fairly advanced as divination mediums go, or so Ibery had claimed when he had tried to tell her he got the spell working within 30 minutes of being shown how to do it. He had a distinct impression she thought he was lying. He didn't really understand what was supposed to be so difficult about it, to be honest – the threads were a purely mental construct that didn't even require much in the way of shaping skills… just visualization. It seemed pretty simple to him. Natural even.

He shook his head and followed after one of the golden threads till he reached a book it was attached to. It was a huge, intimidating 400-page book about the history of Miasina, and Zorian had absolutely no intention of poring over it until he reached the tiny part that actually interested him, so he cast another divination Ibery had taught him. This one highlighted every mention of the chosen word (in this case 'Majara') in shining green, so he simply flipped through the book till he caught a flash of green.

"Zorian? What are you doing here?"

Zorian immediately snapped the book shut and stuffed it back on the shelf. While he wasn't doing anything forbidden, he really didn't want to explain to Ibery what Majara was, and why he was searching the library for any mention of it.

The retort he planned to use died on his lips when he finally turned to get a good look on his visitor. Ibery was a mess. Her eyes and nose were red, as if she had been crying recently, and there was an ugly purple splotch covering her right cheek and neck. It didn't look like a bruise, not exactly, more like…

Oh hell no.

"Ibery…" he started hesitantly. "You wouldn't happen to go into the same class as my brother, would you?"

She flinched back and looked away. He sighed heavily. Just great.

"How did you know?" she asked after a second of silence.

"Brother dearest came to me earlier today," said Zorian. "Said he pushed a girl into a purple creeper patch and wanted me to make 'an anti-rash potion'. I wasn't in the mood so I kind of blew him off."

That was a lie, actually. He had discovered, during the last three reverts, that Fortov was either unable or unwilling to track him down if he failed to return to his room after class. That was actually the main reason why he spent the entire day in the library instead of inside his room. Still, due to his rather unique situation he knew what would have happened had he been present.

"Oh," she said quietly. "That…. That's alright."

"No," disagreed Zorian. "No, it's not. If I had known he was talking about you, I would have helped him out. Well… helped ''you'' out. ''He'' can go die in a fire as far as I'm concerned." He paused for a moment, considering things. "You know, there is no reason why I can't do it now. I'll just have to stop by my room to pick up the ingredients and-"

"You don't have to do that," Ibery quickly interrupted. "It's… not that important."

Zorian took in her appearance one more time. Yup, she had ''definitely'' been crying before coming here. Besides, her choice of words was conspicuous – she said that he didn't ''have'' to do it, not that he shouldn't, and that it wasn't ''that'' important, not that it wasn't.

"It's not really a problem," he assured her. "The main reason I refused in the first place is because it was Fortov who asked, not because it was so difficult to do. Just tell me where to find you when I'm done."

"Um, I'd like to come with you, if it's not a problem," she said hesitantly. "I'd like to see how the cure is made. Just in case."

Zorian paused. That was... potentially problematic. After all, the alchemical workshop would be closed down this late in the evening, and he would have to employ some, uh, ''unorthodox'' methods of gaining access. But what the hell, it wasn't like she would remember this in the next restart.

Thus they set off towards Zorian's apartment. Of course, having Ibery looking over his shoulder wasn't enough, so when he had finally reached his room he found another familiar person waiting for him. Specifically, Zach.

He wasn't terribly surprised to see Zach waiting for him, to be honest. The boy had been getting steadily more nervous during their practice sessions as the summer festival approached, no doubt unnerved by the impeding invasion. Not that he ever told Zorian about the invasion – Zach was stubbornly tight-lipped about that, regardless of how much Zorian tried to goad him into blurting out something. Over the last few days, his fellow time traveler had questioned him about his plans for the summer festival several times, not-so-subtly implying that staying inside his room would be a bad idea. As Zorian still remembered quite vividly how one of the 'flares' flattened his entire apartment building when the invasion started, he was inclined to agree with Zach on that one. Unfortunately, Zach seemed to have trouble believing that Zorian was in agreement with him on that point. No doubt he came specifically to make sure (again) that Zorian was going to attend the dance. Zorian wondered, for god knows what time, just what happened between Zach and his previous incarnations to produce this kind of impression. Had he really been that stubborn before the time loop?

He walked up to Zach, who was sitting on the floor next to his door, completely oblivious to his surroundings while he concentrated on something on his palm. No, now that he got closer he could see it was actually something ''above'' his palm. A pencil, lazily spinning in the air above Zach's palm. Apparently Zach knew the pen spinning exercise too, and was currently practicing it while he waited. Zorian had a strong urge to throw a marble at Zach's forehead and demand that he start over, but decided against it.

Mostly because he didn't have any marbles on his person at the moment.

"Hello Zach," Zorian said, startling Zach out of his reverie. "Are you waiting for me?"

"Yeah," confirmed Zach. He opened his mouth to say something else but then noticed Ibery trailing behind Zorian and snapped his mouth shut. "Err, am I interrupting something?"

"No, not really," Zorian sighed. "I just came to grab some alchemical supplies and then I'll go make something for Miss Ambercomb here. What did you want with me?"

"Eh, it can wait a while," Zach said dismissively. "What are you making? Maybe I can help – I'm pretty good at alchemy."

"Is there anything you're ''not'' good at?" asked Zorian with a snort.

"You'd be surprised," mumbled Zach.

Ibery watched their interaction in silence, but Zach was a fairly sociable person, so by the time Zorian returned from his room with a box of supplies the two of them were engaged in lively conversation. Mostly about Ibery's current condition.

"Man, I didn't know your brother is such a jerk, Zorian," Zach remarked. "No wonder you turned out to be such a… uh…"

He trailed off when Zorian raised his eyebrow at him, daring him to finish that sentence. Ibery's reaction was more vocal.

"He's not a jerk!" she protested. "He didn't mean for this to happen."

"He should have fixed it, though," Zach insisted. "Intentionally or not, it was his fault. He shouldn't have dumped his responsibility on his little brother like this."

"Nobody forced Zorian to do anything," Ibery said. "He's doing this out of his own free will. Right, Zorian?"

"Right," agreed Zorian. "I'm doing this because I want to."

He actually agreed with Zach, but chose not to say so. If he had learned anything about Ibery from spending an entire revert around her it was that she had a massive crush on Fortov. No good could come from bad mouthing him in front of her. Besides, if he was to be honest with himself, Zorian had to admit he was incapable of being objective about Fortov. There was too much bad blood between the two of them.

Thankfully, the two of them quickly agreed to disagree on the topic and a comfortable silence descended on the group. Well, it was comfortable for Zorian – apparently Zach didn't agree.

"Hey Zorian," Zach said. "Why are we going towards the academy proper?"

"So I can access the alchemical workshop, of course," said Zorian. He knew what Zach was getting at, of course, but he was still hoping to get away without revealing one of his most closely guarded tricks.

No such luck.

"But all the workshops are closed this late in the evening," remarked Zach.

"Ah!" Ibery exclaimed. "He's right! They closed down two hours ago!"

"It won't be a problem," Zorian assured them. "So long as we clean up after ourselves, no one will know we were there."

"But the door is locked," pointed out Zach.

Zorian sighed. "Not to magic, it isn't."

"You know unlocking spells?" asked Zach in a surprised tone.

Zorian understood his surprise – unlocking spells were restricted magic, due to their obvious abuse potential. Unless you possessed a special license, even knowing how to cast them was a crime. Not a particularly serious crime, but a crime nonetheless.

Perhaps it was good, then, that Zorian didn't know a single unlocking spell.

"No, I don't," said Zorian. "But it's just a simple mechanical lock. I'll just manipulate the tumblers telekinetically. Piece of cake."

They gave him a blank look. Like most people, they had no idea how locks actually worked, and how easy it was to bypass most of them. Zorian, due to his somewhat colorful childhood, did. In fact, he could pick your average lock without using magic at all – it was just a lot slower than his little magic trick and required him to carry around a set of lock picks.

He stopped in front of the door leading into the alchemical workshop and tried the handle. Like Zach said, it was locked. Shrugging, Zorian placed his palm over the keyhole and closed his eyes. He could feel Zach and Ibery cluster around him to get a better look at what he was doing, and did his best to block them out. He needed total concentration for this.

He had developed this particular trick back in his second year after he got bored of refining the standard shaping exercises they were given. It involved flooding the locking mechanism with his mana, using the resulting mana field as a sort of 'touch sight' to get a feel for the lock, and then carefully moving the tumblers into proper position so he could neutralize the lock. It took him months of stubborn practice, but by now he was good enough at it to unlock most doors in 30 seconds or less.

Even warded ones. He didn't say this to Zach and Ibery, but the door he was trying to open was actually warded. Anything even remotely important in the academy was, including most of the doors. However, as Zorian quickly discovered when he experimented with the newly-developed skill, low-level wards were very specific – they countered a handful of common unlocking spells, and nothing else. Zorian's little trick was not a structured spell, and thus didn't trip these rudimentary wards at all.

The door clicked and Zorian tried the door handle again. This time the door opened without resistance.

"Wow," said Zach as they all filed into the workshop. "You can open a lock just by pressing your hand against it for a few seconds!"

Zorian gave him a sour look. "It's a lot more complicated than that – that's just the visible part."

"Oh, I don't doubt that for a second," Zach said.

Still, while Zach seemed very impressed with Zorian's achievement, Ibery remained strangely quiet and kept giving him funny looks. This was why he hated telling people about his lock-picking prowess – most immediately assumed he was some kind of a thief. Well, that and he didn't want the academy authorities to find out about his achievement. They would no doubt change their warding scheme and then he wouldn't be able to do what he just did.

Fortunately, Ibery wasn't as condemning as some people Zorian met in his life, and got over her suspicions quickly once he started to prepare the salve. Strangely enough, Zach didn't know how to make one, even though it was a fairly simply thing to make and Zach had demonstrated some mightily impressive alchemical work in class. He didn't appear all that interested in learning, either – apparently the anti-rash salve was too mundane for his tastes, and he was only interesting in things like strength potions and wound closing elixirs. That sounded like trying to build a house without bothering to set up proper foundations, but it wasn't Zorian who was a decade old time traveler. Yet.

"Aren't those purple creeper leaves?" Ibery asked, pointing at the small pile Zorian had placed on a wet piece of cloth.

"Yes," confirmed Zorian, wrapping the leaves into the cloth. "They're the main ingredient, though they have to be crushed first. Alchemical manuals usually claim you have to reduce the leaves into powder but it's not really necessary to go that far. You just have to use more leaves otherwise, but it's not like purple creepers are in short supply…"

An hour later, the salve was done and Zach was kind enough to conjure some kind of illusionary mirror so Ibery could apply the salve on herself right then and there. Kind and sneaky, because while Ibery was busy with applying the salve on herself, Zach dragged Zorian away in the corner so he could talk to him in private.

"So?" Zorian prompted. "What is it?"

Zach reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring, which he promptly handed to Zorian. It was a featureless band of gold that reacted strangely when Zorian channeled some mana into it.

"It's a spell formula," Zach said.

"Magic missile?" guessed Zorian.

"That, plus shield and flamethrower," Zach said. "Now you can use all three in actual combat."

Zorian looked at the ring with newfound respect. There was only so much one could cram into a spell formula, and it was mostly dependant on the size of the item used as a base. Turning something as small as a ring into a spell formula for three different spells was a pretty impressive feat, even if they were relatively low-level ones.

"Must have been pretty expensive," Zorian remarked.

"Made it myself, actually," Zach said with a grin.

"Still, that's a pretty valuable thing to give away to someone you've met less than a month ago," said Zorian. "Why do I get the feeling I'll be needing this in the near future?"

Zach's smile disappeared and he suddenly became more subdued. "Maybe. I'm just making sure, you know. You never know when an angry troll might get a jump on you or something."

"How… oddly specific," noted Zorian. "You know, you've been getting steadily more nervous as the summer festival approaches. And you seem oddly interested in making sure I attend the dance."

"You will, right?" Zach prompted.

"Yes, yes, I told you I will half a dozen times already," huffed Zorian. "What's so important about the dance, anyway? What's going to happen there, oh great traveler from the future?"

"You have to see it to believe it," Zach sighed. "It's possibly even more implausible than time travel being real."

"That bad?" asked Zorian, privately agreeing that an invasion of that scale was something he would have had trouble believing in if he had not lived through it.

"Just… try to survive, okay?" Zach sighed. Before Zorian could say anything else, Zach suddenly donned a mask of fake cheerfulness and spoke in a voice loud enough to be heard by Ibery. "Wow, Zorian, I'm sure glad we've had this talk but I should really get going now! Have to be well rested for tomorrow! Bye Zorian! Bye Ibery! I'll see you both at the dance!"

And then he left. Zorian shook his head at the other boy's exit and walked up to Ibery, who was now free of purple rash that once covered her face and neck.

"Well, I guess we should go too," Zorian said. "The academy normally doesn't have anyone patrolling after dark, but that idiot's shouting may have alerted someone to our presence."

"Oh. Um, right."

Zorian watched Ibery as they filed out of the workshop and he used his magic trick to re-lock the door again. She seemed strangely subdued for someone who got what they wanted.

"What's wrong?" he finally asked after a while.

"Err, nothing's wrong," she said. "Why do you ask?"

"You don't seem very happy to be cured," he noted.

"I am!" she protested. "It's just…"

"Yes?" he prompted.

"I don't have anyone to go to the dance with," she said. "The boy I was hoping to go with already has someone by now."

If her unnamed boy was Fortov (probably, considering her obvious crush on him), then yes, he most certainly did. In fact, he probably had one weeks in advance, so there was never much chance of her going with him in the first place, but he didn't feel the need to crush her dreams like that.

"Then you'll just have to do the same thing I will and go to the dance all by yourself, won't you?" concluded Zorian.

She suddenly stopped and gave him an appraising glance.

"You don't have anyone to go with, either?" she asked.

Zorian closed his eyes and swore in his head. He really walked into this one, didn't he?

<div style="text-align: center">- break -</div>

Zorian was nervous. Ever since his very first restart, he had been studiously avoiding the city on the day of the festival, not willing to get caught up in the invasion again. Being present within city limits could easily result in his grisly death, after all, and back then he wasn't sure whether his current restart would be his last. That wasn't an option anymore, unless he wanted to clue in Zach that there was something wrong with him (he didn't).

Bottom line was, he was stuck attending the dance, with the unexpected addition of Ibery as his date for the evening. He wasn't exactly happy with that, actually. He didn't really have much of a plan for the evening, except to wait and see what will happen, but Ibery's presence at his side would no doubt limit him. Not to mention that he still remembered his disastrous evening with Akoja, and had very little desire to live through a repeat performance, consequences-erasing time loop or not.

Speaking of his evening with Akoja, Zorian had to admit one thing about Ibery: she was a lot more reasonable and considerate than Akoja was. She didn't drag him out of his room 2 hours before the event, or make him wait smack in the middle of the huge throng of people gathered at the entrance, or drag him off to chat with a bunch of people who only cared about him being Daimen's and Fortov's brother… She was also more interested in scanning the crowd for any trace of Fortov than paying attention to him, but that way okay – he was under no illusion that she had asked him out because she was actually interested in him. After a while he decided to have mercy on her and informed her that Fortov was already inside, preparing for tonight's performance along with the other members of the academy music club.

Naturally, Zach's entrance was in the boy's usual flamboyant style. He had caught everyone attention when he had shown up with not one, but ''two'' dates for the evening (Zorian didn't recognize either girl), and then further wooed people by demonstrating some very impressive – and attention-grabbing – dancing. Apparently Zach had learned more than magic during these restarts. Zorian clapped with the others when Zach finally finished showing off, and considered the merits of sinking some time into a non-magical skill. Not dancing, though. Or any other 'high society' skill, for that matter – honing those beyond the elementary level he had already grasped would require him to construct a mask so thorough he wasn't sure he'd be able to take if off afterwards. The benefits weren't worth selling his soul over, even metaphorically.

"This is a lot fancier than I thought it would be," Ibery noted, fingering the lacy tablecloth in front of her.

"It's obviously more than just a school dance," agreed Zorian. "I'm guessing the Academy was organizing some kind of event for foreign dignitaries this year and then decided to simply merge it with the school dance for whatever reason."

"I guess," Ibery said. "They ''did'' invest a lot into making everything look good this year, and I doubt they did it for our sake." Ibery looked at the far end of the table, where Zach was entertaining a small crowd around him, his two escorts nowhere to be seen. After a few seconds of this observation she turned to Zorian and stared at him strangely.

"What?" Zorian said, a little unnerved by her stare.

"I've been meaning to ask you…" she began hesitantly. "What is it between you and Zach? I mean, I know you're friends with him, but how did that come about? You seem very different from one another."

"It's a recent thing," said Zorian. "And it was mostly Zach's doing, to be honest. All I did was escort him home after he got sick in class one day, and he decided we were best friends after that. I sort of went along with the flow."

"So you don't know about… um…"

"His sudden growth in skill?" guessed Zorian. He was actually surprised she hadn't questioned him about that sooner. Almost everyone else did. Of course, she would get the same shameless lie that he fed to everyone who questioned him about it. "I have no idea how that happened, but I can tell you it's real and not some kind of a trick like many people have been suggesting. He has been tutoring me in combat magic for a while now, and he really knows his stuff."

"Yeah, I heard you were doing that," Ibery said, causing Zorian to frown. Being associated with Zach has made people disturbingly interested in his activities, no matter how mundane or irrelevant they may be. Having people scrutinize his every action like they have been doing for this past month was a novel experience. Novel and unwelcome. "Kyron has been kind of impressed with your growth, you know?"

Yeah… at least until he found out that Zach was involved, at which point it simply became one more thing that made Zach such a mystery, rather than a product of Zorian's own talent. Obviously Zach had some kind of secret teaching technique on top of everything else. Obviously.

But it's not like he was still bitter or anything!

"Impressed, right," said Zorian sourly. "So what do ''you'' think is behind Zach's amazingness?"

"Err, well… it's kind of silly," Ibery said.

Zorian gestured for her to go on. He always loved to hear the explanation people thought up to explain the mystery that was Zach. Much of the speculation wasn't serious, so much as attempts to think up the most imaginative (or the funniest) solution to the problem, so he doubted Ibery's explanation was any sillier than some of the stuff he had been hearing all month long. His personal favorite was that Zach performed an ancient ritual where you eat another person's brain in order to get their knowledge.

"Time dilation," Ibery said after a brief moment of hesitation.

Zorian blinked. Oh Ibery… So close, and yet so far away…

"I don't think any hasting spell is ''that'' effective, to be honest," said Zorian. "Zach isn't just a little better than he was – I'd personally put him around 3rd circle ''at least''. I actually don't think he has any reason to attend the classes anymore, except that he finds it amusing to do so and flaunt his knowledge to everybody."

"I kind of noticed that," Ibery said, glancing momentarily to the small group of people surrounding Zach. "But I wasn't thinking of hasting magic. Do you know what the Black Rooms are?" Zorian shook his head in negative. "There are rumors that powerful nations like ours have special training facilities that use extreme levels of time dilation. You go inside the facility, spend a couple of months, or even ''years'' inside, and when you get out only a day or two have passed outside."

Zorian's eyebrows rose at the description. If one of the major powers had something like that, why weren't the effects more keenly felt? None of the Successor States were shy about using their power, and would have surely used such a tool to churn out trained mages on a mass scale by now.

"It's just a rumor," Ibery quickly added. "Something between a conspiracy theory and an urban legend. I only know about it because one of my friends loves those kinds of things and she keeps insisting there is one such facility in the tunnels beneath the city. Supposedly they consume massive amounts of mana, so they must be located at mana wells."

"And the Hole is the biggest mana well there is," Zorian noted. "What's the explanation for such secrecy surrounding them? You'd think they'd be using it pretty intensively."

"They can't," Ibery said. "Or at least that's how the story goes. They have some kind of limitations that severely limit their use. Exactly how countries pick who gets to use the Black Rooms is where the 'conspiracy theory' part comes in. The more conventional theories suggest they're simply fancy facilities for training Black Ops super-agents. The wilder ones are… well, wild."

"It's a neat theory," Zorian hummed speculatively. Far closer to reality than anything else he'd heard, though he'd never say that aloud, even as a joke. If she could take such a farfetched rumor seriously, there was a good chance she might actually believe him upon hearing the truth, and that would be very awkward at the moment. Maybe he should try to convince her in one of the next restarts? Something to think about, at least. "But if Zach had spent years in one of those Black Rooms, why hasn't he visibly aged? And why exactly would they let Zach use one of those?"

"Well, he didn't have to ''literally'' spend years," Ibery said. "It's not that anything he's done is ''that'' advanced. A couple of months of intense tutoring could probably produce the effects we're looking at. And even if he spent years, there are potions that can halt your aging for a year or two. They actually work better on young people."

Zorian resisted the urge to frown as he realized something. As much as Zach liked to show off, he never really went wild with his abilities for all to see. If Zach had showed the sort of magic he did during the invasion, neither Ibery nor anyone else would be dismissing Zach's prowess as 'not advanced' so easily. Then again, perhaps that was the whole point. Extremely skilled Zach was surprising, maybe even shocking to those who knew him before the change. Instant archmage Zach would be probably alarming in the extreme and inspire a matching attitude in people around him.

Perhaps Zach's behavior was a lot more calculated than he thought it was?

"As for why him?" Ibery continued. "Well, he's a Noveda. They were quite influential before their eventual fall, and I don't just mean in the sense of being rich. They had their fingers everywhere. I could easily see some of that old influence surviving to this very day. Zach is the last of his line, and the fate of his House rests upon his shoulders. Perhaps this was simply a desperate maneuver by Zach's guardians, trying to turn Zach into a worthy successor capable of returning Noveda to their former glory."

The ground shook, followed by a deafening explosion less than a second later. Windows rattled, but didn't break. An uneasy silence descended upon the dance hall, only broken by the periodic rumble of more distant explosions.

"What… what was that?" Ibery asked fearfully.

She wasn't the only one asking that kind of questions. Agitated murmurs started traveling through the gathered crowd, steadily growing in volume and alarm. The ever-present pressure Zorian always felt from being inside crowds intensified and… changed. What was usually just an annoyance pushing on the edges of his consciousness suddenly became a suffocating blanket of fear. He struggled not to faint as foreign feelings invaded his mind. What the hell was happening to him? He didn't remember anything about an attack like this from his previous experience of the invasion.

A minute ticked away. Then ten. Zorian could practically feel the anxiety and agitation of the crowd steadily rising. The last (and first) time he had lived through the invasion he was standing on the roof when that first barrage descended to earth, and was momentarily incapacitated as a result. At least, that's what he had thought. Apparently he had been knocked out for quite a bit longer than he realized, because by his reckoning Ilsa and Kyron should have been rushing to the roof to see what was happening by now. He could see them arguing about something in a nearby corner, and neither made the slightest move towards the roof.

"Zorian?" Ibery tried for either the fifth or sixth time, Zorian wasn't sure. "Are you sure you're alright? Maybe I should go find someone-"

"I'm fine," Zorian said, somehow managing to shove the oppressive feelings aside for the moment. The explosions had finally stopped but that hadn't led to people calming down. If anything, now that the situation had calmed down somewhat, they wanted answers, and they wanted them now. They were getting restless. Thankfully, the academy staff seemed to realize this as well. "Look, Ilsa is trying to say something."

"Please remain calm!" Ilsa said from the music stage, using the same magic that carried music evenly across the dance hall to make herself heard by everyone present. "My colleague and I will go to the roof now and open communications with the city authorities to find out what is going on. Please don't go anywhere until we return."

Well… that didn't do much to calm people down. If anything, they got even more unruly than they were before Ilsa's speech, and some outright ignored her warnings and left the dance hall the moment she went up the stairs and out of sight. He couldn't judge them too harshly, since in another timeline he had done the exact same thing. On the positive side, the oppressive feeling lifted and reverted back to the familiar headache-inducing pressure. He breathed a giant sigh of relief.

"Hello Zorian," greeted Zach, approaching Zorian. Of course he'd come to talk to him ''now''… "Quite a commotion, huh? And I see you talked Miss Ambercomb to be your date for the evening! Congratulations! I never knew you liked older girls."

"I'm only a year older than him," Ibery protested. She glanced briefly at Zorian to see if he would point out that it was ''her'' who asked ''him'' out, and relaxed when she realized he wouldn't. Zorian had to restrain himself from rolling his eyes. "And how come you're here all by yourself? Why don't you introduce us to your dates?"

If Ibery thought to fluster Zach by pointing out the plural nature of his partners for the evening, she was going to be sorely disappointed. And indeed, Zach only smiled at her, completely unaffected by the jab.

"They decided to leave home early," Zach shrugged. "Probably for the best, considering what happened."

"What ''did'' happen, though?" asked Zorian. He didn't expect to get a straight answer out of Zach, of course, but it was worth a try.

"I guess we'll find out soon," said Zach, pointing to the bottom of the stairs leading to the roof, where Ilsa was talking to a bunch of students. After a couple of seconds Zorian realized that that Akoja was among them, and recognized several other faces as well.

"Who is she talking to?" asked Ibery.

"Class representatives, I think," Zorian said. "At least, the ones I recognize are all class representatives for their groups."

It was so frustratingly slow. Maybe Zorian was expecting a little too much from a mere educational institution, but their response to the invasion was pretty underwhelming. At the very least he had expected them to start evacuating people to the shelters by now, or organize some kind of a defense force, or… well, anything really. He was getting an impression that Ilsa and Kyron didn't even realize the severity of the situation yet.

Finally Ilsa seemed to finish with her instructions and the crowd of class representatives dispersed into the crowd. It only took Zorian a minute to realize what they were doing – each one was gathering their own classmates into a single group. He bid Ibery goodbye and left towards his own group together with Zach.

Once everyone was present, Akoja told them what the plan was. The academy was going to use their limited teleportation capabilities to get foreign dignitaries and other important people out of the city, and the students were going to descend into the tunnels beneath the city to reach the shelters on foot - with no teachers present to guide and defend them, because they had other duties currently and class representatives had to know the evacuation routes to get the job anyway.

Zorian looked at Zach to gauge his reaction and saw that the boy's expression was grim and focused.

"All right," Zach mumbled. "Show time."

Zorian had a bad feeling about this.

<div style="text-align: center">- break -</div>

Surprisingly, it wasn't Zach who raised the alarm – it was Raynie, of all people. How exactly she detected the winter wolves 5 minutes before they showed up he had no idea, but notice them she did and she immediately raised the alarm. A lot of students didn't believe her, but most weren't willing to risk it. The entire procession of students started to move faster towards the small cylindrical building that marked the staircase leading down into the shelters.

They never made it there before the winter wolves reached them.

Zorian wasn't a soldier, and would never call himself an expert on tactics, but what the throng of students did upon sighting the horde of winter wolves coming after them still struck him as monumentally stupid. They scattered. The ones closest to the dungeon entrance rushed towards it, but the others immediately sought the closest shelter. He could hear Zach's frantic shouting, telling people not to separate from the main group but it was in vain.

Cursing, Zorian snatched Akoja by the wrist before she could bolt towards the nearby apartment building and wordlessly pointed towards the dungeon entrance. For a moment he thought about explaining his reasoning in more detail, but he knew he didn't have enough time for that. He let go of her and started running, hoping she would have the presence of mind to follow.

Thankfully, she did follow him, as did several other students that witnessed the silent exchange and realized the importance of it. As they ran, more people joined them, seeking safety in numbers.

Around him, chaos reigned. The winter wolves were pouring in by the hundreds, and unlike the fleeing students they were frighteningly well coordinated. Small groups of 3 to 4 wolves detached themselves periodically from the main body to intercept lone targets before rejoining the horde, using their superior numbers to flank and outmaneuver their opponents. Their white fur and the surprising silence with which they moved made them seem like an army of ghosts risen from the underworld to punish the living. Screams. Shouting. Flashes of light and canine howls of pain too – not every student was helpless. Up ahead Zach was defending the entrance to the tunnels viciously, sending swarm after swarm of force projectiles that hit far harder than your run of the mill magic missile, felling scores of winter wolves with each volley. A number of people reached the safety of a nearby building and promptly barricaded themselves inside, ignoring the pleas of those outside to let them in.

Just as Zorian though they would make it to the entrance without incident, his luck ran out. A large group of 30 or so winter wolves noticed them and moved to intercept. The group halted immediately, unsure what to do as the pack continued to get closer. They had to go through it to reach the shelters, but fighting the wolves was suicide. Zach was busy incinerating a group of war trolls that finally made their appearance and wouldn't be able to help for a while.

"I told you I should have brought my sword," one of the boys groused. "But noooo, it's not suitable for a school dance you said. You're too paranoid for your own good, you said."

"Oh shut up," a female voice snapped back.

Zorian resisted the urge to fire off a couple of missiles at the approaching winter wolves. Even shaped as piercers, they weren't guaranteed to kill in one shot something as resilient as a winter wolf, and he still tended to fail quite often when he tried to weave a homing function in them, so there was no guarantee he would even hit anything. He had to use his mana intelligently.

Not everyone thought so, however. A number of people had a spell formula hidden on them in the form of a ring or a necklace, much like he did, and they threw missile after magic missile into the advancing wolves. Only one girl was capable of casting a proper homing bolt, so most of them missed, and when they did hit they were just smashers so they didn't kill any of them. They did, however, slow the pack down and force it to cluster together, since the girl that could fire homing bolts targeted any wolf that tried to detach from the pack to flank them. And that gave him an idea.

The moment the pack got close enough, Zorian fired an overpowered flamethrower straight into their front lines. Clustered together as they were, most of them were caught in the blast. The winter wolves, notoriously weak to fire, howled in fear and agony. That's when someone else fired another flamethrower into their ranks, this one much bigger and hotter than Zorian's, and the winter wolves promptly turned and fled. The ones that still lived, that is.

Zorian turned to see who cast the other flamethrower and was surprised to see Briam there, staring smugly at the charred corpses in front of him. He was holding his fire drake in his arms like a living weapon, and the little lizard was licking its chops like he wanted to eat its kills.

So much for his theory that the drake was too young to breathe fire.

After a moment of shock at the sudden reversal, they all scrambled into the building housing the dungeon entrance and immediately descended into the tunnels below. Zorian was immediately intercepted by a worried Ibery, who seemed extremely relieved that he was alive. Even though he knew her death wouldn't be permanent, he had to admit he was glad she survived as well.

Though, now that he could sit down and think about it a little, it wasn't that unusual she survived. She was a fourth year student, and they were at the front of the procession for some reason. That was very unfortunate, because fourth year students were, presumably, much more capable of defending themselves than third year ones… and they were the ones who reached the safety of the shelters first, leaving their younger compatriots to fend for themselves.

"I didn't know you had any fire spells," Briam noted from his left, stroking his familiar affectionately. "I guess that's one of the things Zach has been teaching you this past month, huh?"

"Yeah," Zorian admitted. He gave the fire lizard a dubious look, and the reptile stared back at him challengingly. "Did you really bring your familiar to the school dance?"

"Oh, no way," Briam laughed. "I'm not ''that'' attached to him. No, I used a recall spell to summon him to my side when the winter wolves started pouring in."

"Isn't summoning pretty mana intensive, though?" Zorian asked.

"Not if you're summoning your familiar," Briam said. "We're bound together, he and I. Connected through the soul. It's a lot easier and a lot less taxing to cast certain spells where they concern him."

"Huh," Zorian hummed.

An hour went by, with little to show for it. Zorian listened to stories of people around him, trying to put some sense into what had transpired and thinking what he could change in the next restart to make this evacuation thing less of a fiasco. His thoughts were interrupted when a group of teachers finally stumbled into the shelters.

There were six of them and they looked tired and frightened, much like the students who had gathered around them for explanations and assurances. The only one among them that inspired confidence in Zorian was Kyron, who remained as stoic as always. He was no longer bare-chested, opting to wear full body armor that sort of resembled the chitinous shell of a saint bug, and had a plethora of spell rods hanging off his belt in addition to the combat staff he was firmly gripping in one hand.

Kyron had bad news – the attack on the academy was just one piece in an all-out invasion targeting the entire city. Zorian already knew this, of course, but everyone else was suitably shocked. The invasion was well prepared, and most of the defenders have been overpowered right at the start. The city was about to fall. Once that happened, the shelters would become just a giant death trap. They would have to go outside and fight their way out of the city before the invaders could secure everything of critical importance and turn their attention to them.

People were taking it pretty badly.

"Why don't you just teleport us out!?" someone called. "You're supposed to be able to do that!"

"Academy ward control has been subverted," Kyron said calmly. "The invaders have turned our own teleportation wards against us. We can't teleport in or out."

Zorian groaned. The enemy had control of the wards? How on earth did they do ''that''? The academy wasn't just some random house with a generic warding scheme – it's supposed to be too secure and sophisticated for that!

The questions continued for a minute or so before Kyron got enough of it and started to bark out orders. They needed to get moving.

Zorian was paying attention to something else though. The student next to him had been acting strangely ever since Kyron and his cohort entered the shelters. Zorian could practically feel the boy's eagerness and anticipation. For what, he couldn't say, but he had a feeling it was nothing good.

That is why, when the boy threw a vial full of sickly green liquid on the floor and smashed it with his foot, Zorian held his breath and fired a smasher straight into the boy's chest. Foul smelling green smoke erupted from the broken vial, and the shelters erupted into chaos.

Zorian couldn't see anything through the no doubt poisonous smoke, but the sounds of fighting were unmistakable. He stumbled through the smoke, trying to find an end to it and failing. He could tell from the hacking students around him that breathing in would be a bad idea. Thank god it didn't also irritate the eyes or he'd never be able to cast a shield in time to stop a magic missile from smashing into his face. A circular plane of force flickered into existence in front of him, soaking the hit. The shield wavered for a second but held.

And then Zorian heard Kyron shout a series of words, and all the smoke around him rushed towards the source of Kyron's voice, as if caught in some sort of vacuum. Zorian had just enough time to see Kyron holding his left hand in the air, a smoky green ball compacting itself above it, before he was forced to erect a shield again.

At least he could breathe now. Thank the gods for small favors.

Before the attackers – who had probably teleported in under the cover of smoke, because Zorian would remember a bunch of middle-aged men in brown robes if they had been present when he got into the shelters – could regain initiative, Kyron snapped one of his hands and a shining whip flashed through the air. The invaders promptly fell apart, the upper half of their bodies sliding off the lower half like they were never attached to one another at all.

Zorian stared at Kyron in shock. He knew the retired battle-mage was capable, but seeing it was something else. The man had assessed the situation within moments and solved it with a total of two spells. He wondered what would have happened during the initial evacuation if Kyron had been leading the students. He couldn't help but think that Kyron would have found a way to repel the initial winter wolf rush without losing anyone. Certainly the students would be more inclined to listen to Kyron than their class representatives – the man had a certain aura of command around him.

"How… the hell… are you… still standing?" wheezed Zach not far from him. Apparently he had breathed in some of the smoke, and was affected just like everyone else. Even decades old time travelers could be brought down by some tricks, it seemed.

Zorian was about to answer when the ground exploded next to him, showering him with stone fragments and knocking him on his back. He heard Kyron chanting something, but it was too late for him – the giant brown worm that emerged from the ground was far faster than it should have been and Zorian was in too much pain to move. He saw a huge toothy maw closing around him, and then he knew only blackness.

His last thoughts were that it wasn't fair. Just how many contingencies did these people have? These invaders were freaking cheaters!

<noinclude>
==Author's Notes and References==
<references />

{{MotherofLearningNavbar
|[[Mother of Learning:Volume_01_Chapter_008|Chapter 008]]
|[[Mother of Learning:Volume_01_Chapter_010|Chapter 010]]
}}
</noinclude>

CtG -Zero kara Sodateru Dennou Shoujo-:Volume1 Illustrations

2015-07-26T21:12:58Z

Chocolatkey: /* Characters Introduction */ corrections based on assumption. To do: check with jp

==Novel Illustrations==
These are the illustrations included at the start of Volume 1.
<gallery>
Image:CtG v01 Cover.jpg
Image:CtG v01 img001.jpg
Image:CtG v01 img002.jpg
Image:CtG v01 img003.jpg
Image:CtG v01 img005.jpg
Image:CtG-Charater Bio.jpg
Image:CTG Charater Bio 2.jpg
Image:CtG vol 1_00010.jpeg
Image:CtG vol 1_00012.jpeg
Image:CtG vol 1_00013.jpeg
Image:CtG vol 1_00014.jpeg
Image:CtG vol 1_00015.jpeg
Image:CtG vol 1_00017.jpeg
Image:CtG vol 1_00018.jpeg
Image:CtG vol 1_00021.jpeg
</gallery>

==Characters Introduction==
{{Image label|image=CtG v01 img004.png|width=800|float=left|margin=0.4em 0pt 1.3em 1.3em|link=File:CtG v01 img004.jpg|alt=}}
<div style="font-family:cursive;text-shadow: -1px -1px 0px white, 1px 1px 0px white, 1px -1px 0px white, -1px 1px 0px white;">
{{Image label|x=544|y=35|text=<span style="font-size:14px">Real Life</span>}}

{{Image label|x=448|y=160|text=<span style="font-size:15px">Kasugai Yuu</span>}}
{{Image label|x=724|y=160|text=<span style="font-size:15px">Clamp</span>}}
{{Image label|x=448|y=180|text-align=left|text=16 year old high school student. His mother is the creator of "CtG", <br>but due to circumstances he now lives all alone.<br> In CtG he's called "Clamp of Scarabaeus".}}

{{Image label|x=448|y=328|text=<span style="font-size:15px;">Kugimiya Miharu</span>}}
{{Image label|x=732|y=328|text=<span style="font-size:15px;">Mifa</span>}}
{{Image label|x=448|y=348|text-align=left|text=A high school girl. She lives together with Yuu whom she met for the <br>first time. Even though she's bad with guys, in CtG she has a strong <br>personality. Her chest is large in both game and real life.}}

{{Image label|x=448|y=496|text=<span style="font-size:15px;">Haruha</span>}}
{{Image label|x=714|y=496|text=<span style="font-size:15px;">Haruha</span>}}
{{Image label|x=448|y=522|text-align=left|text=Clamp and Mifa's daughter born in "CtG". She shows up in the real world?}}

{{Image label|x=244|y=100|text=<span style="font-size:15px;">Kodzuchi Fuyufu</span>}}
{{Image label|x=186|y=126|text-align=left|text=Yuu's childhood friend. She often <br>calls Yuu, who's a loner "Yuubocchi", <br>but actually has feelings for him.}}

{{Image label|x=55|y=244|text=<span style="font-size:15px;">Niiro Mansei</span>}}
{{Image label|x=57|y=261|text-align=left|text=A mysterious man who's involved with <br>Haruha's birth. He won't take off his<br>glasses even when inside a room.}}

{{Image label|x=260|y=374|text=<span style="font-size:15px;">Hajime Hidari</span>}}
{{Image label|x=185|y=392|text-align=left|text=Second mysterious person involved <br>with Haruha's birth. A charming older <br>woman who often takes care of Yuu.}}
</div>
{{Image label|end}}

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|-
| Return to [[CtG—Zero Kara Sodateru Dennou Shoujo|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[CtG -Zero kara Sodateru Dennou Shoujo-:Volume1 Prologue|Prologue]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Tenkyou no Alderamin:Volume 1 Chapter 4

2015-07-16T23:18:29Z

Chocolatkey:

==Ikta Solork's Science of Laziness==

The first day of the practice, in which the seven platoons consisting of over 270 soldiers would participate, began amidst gales of wind and torrential rain.

“What is this? It sucks. It ruins the idea of ‘a fun picnic with everyone’, doesn’t it?”

Even though not complaining was an important principle for commanders, Ikta made these idle complaints just before their departure. Even Sergeant Major Suuya, who’d promised to be wholly cooperative just this once, was about to instinctively object to it.

“I guess it’s fine- if you think about it, this is better than if it were hot. –Other platoons, are you ready yet?”

Matthew and Torway, commanding their respective platoons, and Haro as well, responded from the back. In the conclusion of these four’s prior conversation, the role of supreme commander would be entrusted to Ikta, who was at the vanguard. Since the soldiers thought no doubt that Torway was their only option, they were incredibly dissatisfied on the inside.

“Then, we’re departing. We’re going…hey, all four platoons, it’s a downpour!”

With that lazy signal, their march began. Countless military boots trampled on the muddy ground, and the soldiers burdened with heavy knapsacks endlessly traversed the plains. With things like rations, first aid kits, sleeping bags, and arms for the mock battle, each person’s baggage attained a gross weight of 30~40 kilograms, and the weight of each and every step they made wasn’t even worth comparing to when they were empty handed.

“Our destination is 30 kilometers to the southwest. Assuming we stop and set up camp once, can we estimate our arrival to be around the afternoon of the next day?”

Suuya meant to make a completely ordinary confirmation, but Ikta tilted his head with a puzzled look.

“? No, we’ll be setting up camp on-site by the time the sun sets. Plus, I want to use tomorrow morning for a rehearsal.”

Troubled for a while at his words, Suuya then huffed a magnificent sigh. –It’s no use. This man doesn’t understand the slightest thing about what a ‘march’ is.

“…Umm, you see, Warrant Officer. I don’t know where the idea that it’s okay to smile is coming from, but first things first. 30 kilometers until our destination is simply the absolute distance, you know. Of course, the path isn’t stretched in a straight line. Therefore, the distance we’re walking in actuality is much longer. Do you understand that?”

“Um, yea.”

“Don’t just say, ’um, yea’. Next, the second thing- it’s very difficult to walk in unfamiliar territory with just a map. First, as strangers to the land, we’re going to get lost, and it’s not rare for the map itself to have errors. We’re going to take more and more time as we correct them.”

“Well, yea.”

“No, we don’t need a ’well, yea’. Finally the third thing, in this bad weather, the march is going to be slower whether we like it or not. ‘Let’s establish a time of arrival taking into account these all these factors’, is what I was trying to say before!”

“I was also considering those things when I made my estimate though…Umm, for the time being, could I have you not yell so much? I just think that if the soldiers will get worried if they hear us arguing so soon after we departed.”

A sound argument came from him despite the fact that he seemed to be losing their quarrel, and Suuya faltered. Ikta, not saying any more in particular, began talking with the light spirit Kusu in his hip pouch possibly as a diversion from the long journey.

“Kusu, shall we play shiritori?<ref>a Japanese word chain game, in which the last syllable of one word is used as the first syllable of the next</ref> Nitpicker~” “Ruins” “Stubborn daughter~” “Reef” “ Fixated on the past~” “Tape” “Ethically narrow-minded~” “Disc” “Could even call her my step-daughter” “Reflex” “X? <ref> Kusu’s responses, seeing as they’re not especially significant, were changed to fit the pattern for the game. Their actual exchange is as follows: うるさがた(nitpicker)＞たまご(egg)＞強情娘（ごうじょうむすめ）(Stubborn daughter)＞めだか ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killifish killifish])＞過去（かこ）にこだわる(fixated on the past)＞るり(laps lazuli)＞倫理的に狭量（りんりてきにじょうりょう）(ethically narrowminded)＞うさぎ(rabbit)＞義理の娘といえなくも（ぎりのむすめといえなくも）(could even call her my step daughter)＞もうふ(blanket)＞ふ？</ref> …Umm- Nope, I can’t think of anything. Ahaha, it’s my loss because of my theme restriction~”

Ikta laughed and stroked Kusu’s head. Firmly repressing her desire to retort with “What theme?!”, Suuya already resolved to not make a single suggestion. –This type of person, he’ll just get what’s coming to him.

However, unrelated to Suuya’s spiteful hopes, there was something strange going on with her superior officer from the start.

When several hours passed since they departed, all the units had deviated slightly off-course, and had entered a small road under Ikta’s command. They were on an old mountain path with barely any signs human traffic, and it was possible for them to return back to the correct path if they shifted to the side of the road, but, of course, that was still a detour.

Thinking he showed his incompetence, Suuya had been gloating on the inside until now. However, Ikta’s next command flippantly exceeded her expectations and common sense.

“Cease marching. –So, listen well, okay? Those in front of me, without breaking file, open your knapsacks while standing. Torway, Matthew, Haro, do just as we planned!”

The soldiers complied with the orders even while tilting their heads in confusion. When everyone’s knapsacks were open excluding the last column, Ikta gave the next command without a moment’s delay.

“Well then, take out whatever I say and leave it at your feet. First, one canister of paint fluid for the mock battle, six pegs for securing the tents, then—“

The things they pulled from their knapsacks continued piling up at their feet. At this point in time, Suuya was in disbelief.

“You took out everything I said, right? Good, with that, using the tent lining which you took out last, roll up the rest of the items. Also, last file, about face! Those people directly in front of them, as soon as you finish with the work you’re doing now, also do the same thing with the bags of the person in back of you.”

As the result of his commands being free of any pointless rambling, all of the work was finished before three minutes passed. Confirming that, Ikta lightly nodded his head and turned on his heel. And gave orders while facing forward.

“All troops, shift five steps to the left. –Good, resume marching.”

“Wai- Warrant Officer…!?”

While leaving behind one portion of their materials, the four platoons resumed marching. Suuya at her superior officer in a crazed rush.

“What are you thinking just randomly discarding our things?! This is clearly a violation of military command!”

“Discarding is disgraceful- this is depositing, you see. As per our plan of action, we’re taking only necessary materials along the course of our trip. We’ll retrieve it properly on the way back.”

“I can’t sit quiet with that kind of reasoning! Are you planning to speed up the march by lightening their load!? Let’s just say that works, what are you going to do if the things you discard end up being necessary?!”

“I said, not discarding but depositing…. Anyway, I actually chose things that we won’t become necessary in the future. We can use paint fluid diluted with water. For the tent, just the outer layer is enough for keeping out wind and rain. We’re also fine with just the minimum number of pegs necessary for securing them.”

While impatiently wiping a raindrop from his face, Ikta lowered his voice and continued.

“…Essentially, with the details of the practice, being overburdened with our full equipment isn’t a good thing. There’s no need for us to be pointless exhausted as a result of materials we won’t even use. You think so too, right?”

“But the leaders decided the contents of our equipment, so—“

“Yes, we’re depositing them, aren’t we? Even if we were discarding them, the management of materials falls under the on-site commander’s jurisdiction, you know. Besides, at any rate, the responsibility for this order is mine alone. I’m the one who’ll be scolded by the higher-ups and making explanations. You don’t need to worry.”

Ending the conversation one-sidedly, Ikta yawned as he continued walking. Suuya, once again prevented from making an objection, suppressed her frustration and follow after him.

About when an additional three hours passed, in the middle of a road caught between cliffs on both sides, Ikta suddenly stopped in his tracks. Ikta anxiously looked around, but the others couldn’t quite understand what he was bothered about.

“…Is something wrong? Did you lose confidence in the way we’re going?”

Next to him, Suuya asked sarcastically. But, not answering her, Ikta muttered to himself after surveying the surrounding terrain until he was satisfied.

“—This road is no good.”

“Huh?”

“Shall we go back? Alright, all troops change course!”

Suuya couldn’t hide her confusion at her superior officer, who was starting to turn back on the road they came without the slightest regret. Even if he noticed that they were going the wrong way, even if that were the case, then it’d be normal to pull out a map to confirm their route.

However, before even five minutes had passed after he started to turn back, Suuya grasped the youth’s intention. Unexpectedly, an underground tremor came rumbling toward them. When the surprised soldiers looked behind them, they found before their eyes the sight of the road, just ahead of where they’d been walking until a short time ago, buried by an enormous amount of rock and sand.

“Wha-“

Suuya shivered with the other soldiers. –If they had continued as before, they probably would have been caught in it!

“Alright alright, don’t stop your feet.”

Ikta clapped his hands and pushed the backs of the soldiers who stopped walking out of surprise. Hearing that, each of the platoons panicked and resumed marching, but Suuya couldn’t comprehend the youth’s composure at all.

“…Did you know?”

“Hm?”

“Don’t play dumb. I mean, that a landslide would happen there.”

When Suuya keenly questioned him, Ikta smiled vaguely and tilted his head.

“Well, I’m not a fortune teller. I can’t gauge the timing of when it’ll happen, but I somehow get the feeling that it’s dangerous around here. You didn’t notice the condition of the cliff before?”

“The cliff…? What do you mean?”

“First, there were newly revealed rock beds in here and there. It’s proof that the earth has started to wear down from the rain. Next, there were several trees angled downward growing from the cliff wall. Usually, on however steep a slope they grow on, trees grow heading upwards, you see, so that signified that the rock bed itself was loose.”

Suuya widened her eyes. Despite seeing the same scene, she had completely failed to notice those signs.

“Based on that, the circumstances were sufficient to be on lookout for a landslide. Therefore, we be prudent and turn back. –Does this answer your question?”

It was all Suuya could do to quietly nod at Ikta’s words. It was just common sense at work- at any rate, there was no doubt that he would show his incompetence. She couldn’t go on without saying that to herself.

“Ahh, we finally arrived. Alright, everyone, we’re taking role. When that ends, we’re setting up tents and taking a meal!”

The soldiers were starting to bustle around with a sense of liberation at being able to end their march, but Suuya alone was in a daze.

If one looked through the tree branches at western sky, the clouds covering it were still brightly dyed with the orange of the sun.

The rain, after passing a moment’s peak, turned into a small drizzle, and the leaves of the various trees provided shade for them even now as they entered their wooded destination.

“…To think, we really arrived before the sun set…”

“I told you, didn’t I? I made my estimate having properly accounted for everything.”

Ikta spoke while wringing his sopping wet overcoat. Suuya glared at him with a dissatisfied expression.

“…Have you come here before?”

“Nope, it’s my first time.”

“That’s a lie. I mean, Warrant Officer, you didn’t pull out the map even once on the way. That, and you didn’t even use an actual surveying instrument. Under those conditions, it’s impossible to travel the shortest distance unless you remembered by experience.”

Suuya insisted, following her own common sense. Ikta cracked his shoulders, which were stiff from the weight of his bag.

“I don’t know whether that was the shortest distance, but I paid attention to eliminating waste. Taking out the map in the middle of that rain would be a serious hassle, so confirming the path with it would be a two-fold loss. Those points being, the map in my head wouldn’t get wet, and there’s no work involved in taking it out.”

“Are you saying that you came with the whole thing memorized? …Even if that’s true, there are discrepancies here and there between the map and the actual terrain. At those times, if you don’t have experience, you can’t correctly make the judgment to correct the route.”

“Oh, I have experience. I was taught from my teacher from when I was younger. Since, fieldwork is the foundation of science.”

Science- having never heard such a word, Suuya tilted her head. While giving that girl a sidelong glance, Ikta, wiping the moisture off his skin with a towel, raised his voice slightly and called the leaders of each of the troops.

“Matthew, Torway, Haro- first, thanks for your hard work. There’s no one missing from your troops?”

“Everyone’s where they should be. We arrived before it got dark, and not a single person got lost on the way.”

The other two seconded Matthew’s response. Ikta nodded with satisfaction.

“Everything is according to plan so far. But, the real test has yet to come. –Listen well, Matthew, Torway. Since they are coming by a different route, the arrival of Yatori’s group will take place after noon tomorrow, even if they are early. The time until then is the biggest advantage that has been given to us. Let’s make the most of it.”

“U-umm- I…”

“You’re fine, Haro. You sleep early with your subordinates. Since your Medics troops are in neutral standing, starting tomorrow, you’ll be moving around separate from my command. –Ah, if sleeping by yourself is lonely, then come to my tent?”

“N-no, I’d like to protect my virtue, so I’ll decline…”

“I understand. By the way, I’ll be lonely sleeping by myself, so can I go to your tent in the middle of the night?”

“Ikta… when Yatori’s not here, you really let loose, don’t you?”

Matthew took on a defeated face, and next to him, Torway unintentionally smiled. After making two~three additional confirmations, the warrant officers separated.

“Sergeant Major Suuya. You can do this once you’ve finished eating, but would you pick five~six energetic people from among the light spirit holders in our platoon?

Suuya, who had been watching their activities absentmindedly, came to her senses when she was addressed by Ikta in conversation.

“Ah- yes, I understand…. Are you going on a preliminary inspection at night?”

“Well, I did say that we’re going to make the most of it. We’re just going to take a look at the river in the south. Because tomorrow, we’re planning to set up camp on the beach opposite and wait for the enemy.”

Ikta spoke about the matter innocently, but Suuya frowned and asked a question in response.

“The beach opposite the river in the south…? J-just wait a minute, Warrant Officer. That’s not the place where we’re confronting our opponent’s army. Didn’t you see on the bulletin board that it was designated as the open area in the north?”

“I saw it, but it was just written as ‘suitable for merging forces’, you know. It was never said that we had to fight there. Upon interpretation, we should be allowed to take up camp anywhere in these Southern Urt Woodlands.”

“Yes, but by custom, that…”

“If it were a real battle, we wouldn’t be doing things based on custom, you know. Since we have the freedom of choice, we might as well pick a battleground that will work to our advantage, no? -Well then, I’ll leave the selection of soldiers to you.”

Ikta left without any time to stop him. …Suuya herself still didn’t realize that she was getting drawn into his pace more with each passing moment.

After dinner, traveling together with seven soldiers including Suuya, Ikta went to see the condition of the Kuriri River which flowed through an area about one kilometer south of the campground. This place was roughly the southern tip of the Urt Woodlands which had been designated as the location of the practice.

“Oh, the flow is wider than I thought. I didn’t think that it was much more than a small river, but the rain has proved fortunate, hasn’t it?”

“Huhh…”

Even the other soldiers including Suuya understood some of Ikta’s intention as he walked around muttering. The battle lineup with a river cutting through the space between them and the enemy army was suited for a defensive battle. That in itself might be the right choice. However…

“The water volume is increased, but even still, they could wade across this river if they submerge themselves to the bottom of one’s chest. …Checking with the map, there is a sandbar by which they could cross even more easily upstream.”

“The river’s width is one so that it’s possible they might think to attack by crossing the river, isn’t it? The flow isn’t that strong either, and it seems like by tomorrow, it will become even slower where the rain is weak.”

While illuminating it using Kusu’s Lantern, Ikta cautiously submerged himself in the river and confirmed the depth of the entire river. Its flow being no exception to that of other slow rivers, the water of the Kuriri River was quite muddy. Even considering that it was natural owing to it being nighttime now, it seemed that it would be difficult to see through the middle of the water even in broad daylight.

“Hmm, I’ve got a general idea of the middle of the river. What’s left is the surrounding terrain, but…”

Ikta, having risen from the water, this time entered the trees around the river and began glancing around the area.

“As expected, the majority of the vegetation is different from the tropics of the Eastern Province. ...Hmm? This…”

He suddenly illuminated the tree which caught his eye from top to bottom with Kusu’s High Beam. It was a tall tree with a total height of about 20 meters, but other than that, it didn’t have any special characteristics. Behind him, his subordinates quickly shifted their interest elsewhere.

“..It’s an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distylium Isu] tree. Wow, so they grow around here, too!”

However, the same tree before Ikta’s eyes was also visible to the others. Letting his joy show in his voice, he lightly hit the trunk with his fist, then directed the High Beam around it as if he were looking for something.

“Alright, they’re growing en masse in this area…. Ah, how lucky.”

“Umm, Warrant Officer… What could it be that you are so overjoyed about?”

“I’ve decided on a definite battle strategy. Ahh, thank goodness- with this, it seems like I can sleep well tonight.”

Ikta headed back, almost skipping as if to say, “Well then, let’s sleep, shall we?” Turning to his flustered subordinates, he spoke in a bright voice.

“Everyone, we’re sleeping early today. Early tomorrow morning, we’re starting our carpenting work.”

Taking a different route than Ikta’s group but headed for the same location, Sariha, Sushura, and Yatori’s three platoons, just past noon on the day following Ikta’s arrival, finally reached the Southern Urt Woodlands.

“Now then, set up camp. No need to be nervous, seeing as our opponents couldn’t have arrived yet anyway.”

Captain Sariha, stationing his soldiers across the open area in the north, couldn’t have thought even in his dreams that his opponents arrived earlier than himself. And he had proper justification. When he did the same practice as a warrant officer when he was younger, he had the experience of using both routes.

“This route is a little longer, but the path is simple and one won’t get lost. In comparison, that route might be shorter, but one has to overcome complicated forks and terrain. Hehehe, if it’s his first time, he’s getting lost…it’s complicated enough that people get lost during the journey and have to double back. You think he’ll arrive here in one piece?”

Accompanied by the silent Sushuraf, Sariha was filled with self-satisfaction. It seemed as if the words pride and carelessness existed to describe his current state.

Of course the person himself didn’t realize it, but it was a different story for outsiders with an objective perspective.

“Captain Sarihasrag. Would it be alright if I sent scouts from my platoon?”

Yatori, who had quickly finished stationing her soldiers, requested that permission from the head commander. Interrupted just as he entered a good mood, looked at her with irritation.

“…Scout? What’re ya sayin’, we don’t need anything like that. They shouldn’t have arrived yet, and both armies are supposed to confront each other here anyway, aren’t they?”

“On the bulletin board, it said that it was ‘suitable for merging forces’. In my case, I wouldn’t interpret that to be a designation of our place of confrontation.”

“…That was what was there, but for a first practice, he wouldn’t be that attentive to detail, right? He would be so exhausted by the time he gets here that he’d probably have no energy left for the mock-“

“Even so, we aren’t being cautious.”

“…I understand. Do what you want.”

Becoming annoyed, Sariha gave his permission not with firm support but to drive her away. The fiery haired girl, saluting then leaving her superior’s presence, returned to her own troops and briskly gave a command.

“Scouting Unit, listen up. First, head straight down south. Look for signs of the enemy while returning north from there.”

At the command of their esteemed platoon leader, her subordinates nodded obediently. Platoon Ikta couldn’t even hold a candle to her troops when it came to their high morale.

“By my guess, our opponents’ forces have already made their arrival. Judging from Ikta’s… their supreme commander’s character, he probably wouldn’t want clash head-on, and if he avoids the open area in the north when setting up camp… then he’ll likely be here.”

Yatori’s fingertip pointed to a point on the map, the Kuriri River of the Southern Urt Woodlands. The three of her subordinates who understood her intentions saluted with vigor and promptly started sprinting south.

“Those were precise orders, Yatori. Is reading Solork’s thoughts a specialty of yours?”

Unexpectedly addressed from the background, Yatori saluted as she turned around. Protected in her vicinity by over 20 brawny bodyguards, it was the girl of the Imperial Family, Her Highness, Chamille.

“I am much obliged, Your Highness. …However, truly it must be impossible to completely read Ikta’s thoughts.”

“Even for you, who has known him for such a long time?”

“’’Even for me… Because it is I’’…no, likely it is both. He definitely thinks while reading how his opponent will predict his thoughts. If you interact him with the intention of keeping secrets, then you will find yourself in dire circumstances.”

He’s a troublesome man- the princess smiled bitterly. Yatori also smiled lightly, and suddenly changed the topic.

“By the way, thank you for today. You especially came to observe our practice.”

“Only to keep watch so that Captain Sarihasrag and Lieutenant Sushura don’t use the mock battle as an excuse to perpetrate violence. You are my Knights. As I had been protected, I will protect you.”

“I am greatly obliged to your kindness. …But, once the fighting begins, however slight the chance, again please remove yourself so you aren’t involved. Be cautious of stray arrows, and always stay behind them.”

Yatori spoke while motioning to the bodyguards with her eyes. Recruited from the soldiers who were permanently stationed at the center base, they were superior soldiers excellent in both physical appearance and physique. Each of them was equipped with an air shooter and light armor; they were fit to be called an iron fortress.

“I understand. For them to fulfill their role, I must also not carelessly expose myself, correct?”

“Then I shall also keep in mind my role of trusting that you’ll not carelessly expose yourself.”

Exchanging a friendly banter, the two of them, lord and retainer, unintentionally smiled. …However, the footsteps of the scouts who were dispatched earlier returning back at full speed destroyed the peaceful atmosphere.

When he heard the report that the enemy troops had already deployed their camp on the opposite side of the Kuriri River, Captain Sarihasrag was dumbfounded for a few seconds, and finally returned to himself after having his shoulder whacked by his younger brother, Lieutenant Sushura.

“A-all troops proceed south! Return to column formation and head to the Kuriri River!”

They also had the option of waiting as they were in the open area, but if they didn’t confront their army and thus reached a stalemate, Sariha would lose face as the commander who was scared by his trainee opponents. Since he was higher in both social class and rank, he had no choice but to defeat Ikta no matter where he was waiting.

“N-no big deal. Once the soldiers return to their columns, they won’t be scared as they head from the open area to the river. They think that the start of the fighting will come after they confront the other army. For this at least, there is no room for a weird, far-fetched interpretation-- right, Sushura!?”

The voice that sought reassurance from his younger brother was shrill and nervous. As she heard this from a removed location, Yatori felt exasperated. –The mock battle hasn’t so much as started yet- wasn’t it a bit too early for their pretense to start coming off?

As he listened to Sushuraf’s sounds of agreement Sariha slowly regained his composure. When he faced the enemy troops on the other side of the Kuriri River, he had somehow recovered a dignified expression.

“Did they really set up camp on the other side of the river…? And their troops have completely finished deploying- shit, how did they move this fast?”

Sariha bit his thumbnail with frustration. In front of his eyes, the enemy troops had already raised their battle flag. If they answered this with their own flag, then that moment would mark the start of the fight.

“Argh, they raised their flag first! That alone is enough of a disgrace- we’re also deploying immediately!”

The soldiers, pressured by their commander, panicked and rearranged from a column formation to a formation meant for battle. When that finished, Sariha immediately made them raise their battle flag. One couldn’t blame Yatori for having a headache.

“I supposed there’s no helping that he is flustered by this…. Though, he’s already fallen behind, so it’s better if he sets up camp at his leisure to make the enemy impatient. This is just what Ikta expected, you know.”

Keeping that opinion to a mutter in her mouth- though she knew her place far better than Ikta did- Yatori’s frustration grew stronger.

Utterly ignorant of his subordinate’s mental state, Sariha thought only of how to defeat the opponent in front of him.

“If our troops are equally matched than naturally, it’s the loss of the side which attacks first in a river defense encampment…. Soldiers who cross the river would be subject to a volley of shots while in a defenseless state. Neither side wants to attack, so this becomes a standoff.”

“Older brother, how about having the soldiers test the depth of the water first? The situation changes depending on the depth of the river.”

“No, there’s no need for that. I know this river well. Normally, one could cross with one’s body submerged to the waist, but it’s currently swollen with rain, so it’d be approximately just below the chest…”

Saying that, Sariha resentfully looked down on the muddy river surface. …The possibility that this river wouldn’t function in a river defense encampment was denied by his own experiences. Therefore, things immediately became troublesome.

“…If I remember correctly, there is a sandbar upstream. We take our troops around and attack the enemy from behind, an offensive matching our timing with the main force… is what first comes to mind. But seeing as we’ve set up camp here, our opponents have probably also read this much…”

No matter which move he made, there was risk involved. That kind of mindset was one of unintentionally waiting for the opponent’s move. Sariha didn’t need a long time to enter that state, and the enemy on the opposite shore read that completely and mobilized their troops.

“…Older brother. One of the enemy units has broken off of formation and seems to be headed upstream.”

“I can see that! Is that Ikta Solork’s unit!? If that’s his game, alright then…!”

With the long-awaited action of the enemy, Sariha leapt like a baited fish at the provocation.

“Warrant Officer Yatorishino! Lead your platoon to the river crossing site upstream, and ambush the enemy there!”

Thus ordered, Yatori avoided making an immediate reply, and hesitated slightly before returning her opinion.

“…I mean no disrespect, Captain. I think that it is dangerous to divide our forces here. If that is what we will do, wouldn’t you rather avoid a confrontation at the river and return to the open area in the north?”

“…Dangerous? What greater danger is there than being completely surrounded by the enemy!?”

“Platoon Ikta is an Illumination Unit. There are few powerful air gunner soldiers in its composition, and its main armaments are the bow gun and the short spear. The effect of their dazing by means of a High Beam is also reduced by half in the afternoon. When they come by circling around upstream, we can counter before we are taken by their pincer attack. …What I’m concerned about now is, whether what they are wishing for might be our response to their invitation?”

Sariha laughed at Yatori’s cautious theory.

“Hmph- Has the daughter of the Igsems lost her nerve? Take a good look, there’s a river dividing the space between us and the enemy. Even if we are charged with twice the amount of troops, it’s our victory just by ambushing their troops.”

“It seems that you have forgotten, but this river defense encampment is ‘’something that the enemy has prepared.’’ By no means is it your plan, Captain. No matter what the circumstances, isn’t thinking that it will be equally advantageous for us asking too much?”

“…! N-nonsense- don’t defy your superior’s orders! Go to intercept them immediately!”

When conversation was denied, Yatori naturally gave up on any further persuasion. She faced Sariha with a salute and accepted her order, then took her subordinates from her platoon and began the migration upstream.

“…That direction doesn’t count as either offense or defense. Our Captain, judging from his face it seems he’s already completely reached a point where he can’t think of anything but temporary solutions. --Ahh, good grief. From your perspective, he’s certainly an easy piece to push around, isn’t he, Ikta?”

*

Over 20 minutes after Platoon Yatori departed. Both armies continued to glare at each other across the river, but when for some reason the moment metallic sounds came ringing from upstream, Matthew was the first to change his expression.

“…That’s the sign. –All soldiers, prepare your arms.”

The soldiers simultaneously inserted a bullet into their air shooters. Of course since this was a mock battle, they were paint balls fired by increased air pressure. The same dye was applied to bow gun arrows, wooden bayonets, and short spears with their tips removed. People smeared with these colors were treated as “killed in action,” and couldn’t engage any further combat.

“Alright—are you listening? ‘’We’re coordinating with Platoon Ikta when we launch the attack.’’”

[[Image:Alderamin v01 255.png|thumb| Among them was Ikta Solork himself.]] Matthew’s mouth named a platoon that shouldn’t have been in the area. Seeming to have been transmitted to the opposite shore as well, the deployed soldiers sharpened their vigilance. –And the next moment, that incident came crashing down on them like a surging wave.

First, having earlier pretended to head upstream but turning back midway, then concealing in the forest by the riverside until now, Platoon Ikta came running out with weapons in hand. Among them was Ikta Solork himself.

The moment their vanguard lined with their own, Matthew and Torway’s platoons also fiercely faced the river once more and began attacking. Sariha’s troops on the other shore wore dumbfounded expressions. Why you ask, ‘’that’s because Ikta and the others had crossed the Kuriri River, whose depth currently rose to just below one’s chest, at most soaked no higher than their knees!’’

“Wha…!? F-fire! Attaack!”

Sariha’s order, which resembled a shriek, echoed across, but at that point the majority was decided.

The defensive river encampment being advantageous for the side meeting the enemy is due to the fact that it can attack while the soldiers coming from the center of deep water are defenseless and exposed. However, with a water depth below the knees, that effect is weak. Because Platoon Ikta, which was led into the forest, was furthermore added to the attack, of course a difference in war potential in the three platoons vs. two platoons battle also arose.

In part due to the surprise of receiving an impossible attack, Captain Sariha’s units couldn’t muster a proper retaliation. The soldiers in the front row fired paint balls and paint arrows, forming a “line of battle,” and, receiving an attack made with bayonets and short spears one after the other, they were completely driven into a corner from the stalemate.

“R-retreat! Fire while retreating!”

They were destroyed by the volume of fire once they were struck directly- that being said, even as they turned around and retreated, they were annihilated by their continued pursuit. Sariha was at wit’s end when he gave the command, but it could also serve well as humor.

“Wha… watch it, you’re in my way! If you’re ‘killed in action’ then move already!”

“Y-yes, but still…”

In the front line, which was a jumble of enemies and allies, the living and the dead jostled one another. If people were really killed in action, then one would just need to step over the dead bodies, but in this case they were only dead according to the rules. In part due to their inexperience with mock battles, they ended up as obstacles by standing upright in that area.

“N-now- shoot while the enemy is stopping!”

Taking advantage of the fact that the bullets were paint balls, Sariha, not caring whether they struck his allies, had the soldiers stage a comeback and fire their air shooters. It was a dreadfully shameful sight, but the short time they gained from it became what allowed them to survive. Even so—

“Oh, come on- I knew it would turn out like this! Platoon, attack! Please protect your fellow troops as they’re retreating!”

Slipping through the spaces between the gradually retreating soldiers, the members of Platoon Yatori, which had run into a predicament, returned fire on the enemy. Having previously anticipated a free-for-all fight, Yatori armed her soldiers’ bow guns with insertion-style short spears from the beginning. With the enemy in front of their eyes and noses, long things were stronger than both air shooters and bow guns.

“So you did come, Yatori. –Alright, everyone take it easy and rotate! End of swordplay!”

If not for her interference, their rout would’ve been the perfect chance, but Ikta wasn’t mistaken in the least in the moment he chose to pull back. Calmly distancing themselves from the short spear-wielding soldiers of Platoon Yatori, they targeted and completely surrounded their opponents, who had carelessly rushed out. Seeing this, Yatori, also sensed a favorable opportunity.

“Platoon, change course! We can’t go straight back- please escape to the forest while the enemy is still disorderly!”

Platoon Yatori’s movements were so precise and quick that one couldn’t believe that they’d only trained for one month, Just now it seemed that they had scattered and fled, but there was no doubt that they had established a meeting place.

“Ahh- we’re were shaken up more than I expected. Hey, Matthew, where are you~? Are you still alive~?”

Ikta called out in a trailing voice, and a short time later a large body appeared from the mass of people.

“I’m here… and I’m alive somehow. I tried to shoot Yatori earlier, but instead I was shut down, though…”

“Ahh well, that’s because our center was under attack. I don’t think that Yatori’s attack was directed towards foot soldiers. Well, I thought we did enough damage to their main forces. For the time being, shall we collect the survivors and reform our ranks?”

Nodding together, the two began to rebuild their own platoons. However, at that time, Sergeant Major Suuya, who survived without being “killed in action” came running, and exploded at Ikta as he was casually counting the number of soldiers.

“Warrant Officer, why didn’t we go in pursuit of them!? Warrant Officer Yatorishino’s platoon even withdrew- if we’re going to chase and beat the confused main forces of our enemy, then that was a perfect chance just now!”

“Huh? You guys are able to carry out a pursuit?”

Ikta asked back with a blank face. Losing her patience at this, Suuya unthinkingly started to raise her voice, but when she was on the verge of actually opening her mouth, she came to a sudden realization about what her superior was saying. When she calmly surveyed her surroundings, the situation was clear. The ranks of the soldiers, who were shaken in the fighting, were thrown in complete disarray, and voices calling for missing allies were echoing from here and there. In the center, there were injured persons in need of medical attention, and it would probably still take some time for each of the platoons to adequately regain order.

There was no way they could carry out an effective pursuit in these conditions. If they acted rashly, they would encounter return fire. Not getting drunk on his plan’s success, Ikta had calmly made this judgment. Even Suuya wasn’t unable to acknowledge its justification.

In the first place, the delay in recovering order was due not to Ikta’s poor commanding, but to the fundamentally low experience of the soldiers in responding to his commands. The one who hadn’t given Ikta the training necessary to raise that until the verge of the actual event, was none other than Suuya herself.

“…No, we can’t. …Please excuse me…”

Sensing that there was no room for a dissenting opinion, she lost her resolve midway and began to help with the work of sorting the survivors. While continuing that, Suuya quietly asked a question of the superior officer beside her.

“…Everything until now, Warrant Officer, was it all according to your predictions?”

“? What’s this all of a sudden? I told you everything beforehand, and you even helped with the bridge construction didn’t you?”

Ikta shrugged his shoulders. Awkwardly averting her eyes, Suuya flashed back to the events of the morning.

“…Make it, underwater? A bridge?”

When she first heard the idea, Suua had absolutely no idea what her scene partner was saying. Her superior officer, who had borrowed all of the soldiers under his command and started lumberjacking, casually explained to her while creating blisters on his hand with an axe he wasn’t accustomed to using.

“Well, not making- in this situation we’re just submerging them. The width of this river is roughly 25 meters, and the isu trees in this area are on average about 10-20 meters in total length. We’re submerging these on the river bed perpendicular to the river bed, you see. If we lay over five of them, we create a fine underwater path. For three platoons to use to attack, well, we’ll probably need to lay across 30 of them.”

“But, in essence this is a log, right? Don’t trees float in water…?”

“A tree is a tree, but this is an isu tree, meaning that it’s a hard tree. A tree’s hardness is inversely proportional to its water content by percentage, but in an isu tree that is extremely low. Essentially, that means that its interior is fully packed together.”

“Right…”

“Well simply speaking, this tree will sink in water. The flow of that river is rather gentle, so if we secure it a bit there’s no need to worry about it being washed away. Above all, thanks to the water being muddy, our submerged bridge will be invisible to the enemy. We, luring them here, are the only ones who know that this river can’t be used a in defensive river formation.

“That which destroys the conception of a bridge as something that we build above water, Anarai Khan‘s idea of a ‘submerged bridge.’ …However, since it doesn’t have much of a use aside from military applications, the one who thought of it wasn’t too proud, though.”

Ikta murmured nostalgically. His faraway eyes at that time left a deep impression on Suuya.

“…Let’s say, if the enemy comes probing the depth of the water, what do you plan on doing then?”

“I think the probability of that is low. The Kuriri River is also a practice ground for the defensive river encampment, and Captain Sarihasrag, hailing from the center base, knows the depth of this river from direct experience. Once he sees that its been swollen with the rain, he’ll have predicted it to be deep and won’t suspect it to be shallow. He would need to realize that we have an ‘underwater bridge’ in order to suspect it, but do you think that short tempered mind of his is capable of that kind of flexibility?”

In the time it took for Suuya to find one flaw, Ikta prepared 10 times as many words. …Thinking that they were empty, rash remarks, anyone would be able to hold him in contempt. However, that that was not the case was proved in this recent battle. His words were words with power.

If one casually looked around, Suuya was definitely no longer the only one who couldn’t ignore this young warrant officer. One offensive victory so easily caused people’s evaluation of him to change completely.

“Well, if they come probing, we’ll fire and drive them away. Since if they enter the river, they’ll be in range of an air shooter. But, if anything Sadist Ikemen’s incompetence is worse than I imagined. As a result, we took more damage than I would’ve liked. Even if they are paint balls, shooting at your allies- is that normal?”

His tone itself seemed to be joking, but Ikta was truly angry about that matter. Hearing that, Suuya was increasingly bewildered. The man in front of her whom she had come to respect now appeared about to cry.

“Mm, so the sorting of the survivors and those killed in action is done. –Haro, my angel! Please give medical treatment to the injured!”

“You noticed us!? …W-well since the fighting appears to be over, please excuse us…”

Haro’s Medics Platoon, which had been hiding in a corner of the forest the whole time, came out when they were called by Ikta and circled around giving medical care to the injured persons born from the recent fighting. Deaths also occurred at times during mock battles, but fortunately this time, it seemed that they had gotten by with only large numbers of people with slight injuries such as bruises or sprains.

“That was a skillful play, Solork. Your opponents were flustered.”

Her Highness, Chamille, protected by her body guards, showed her face from behind Platoon Haro. It appeared that the two of them had united together sometime as she was searching for a place from which she could watch over the progress of the battle without interfering with the fighting.

“Thanks. But we’re in the middle of training, you know, if you not doing anything in particular, then please stay back, princess.”

Saying that, Ikta shook his hand as if shooing her away. Her Highness, the Princess’s lips bent in a “へ” shape and the members of bodyguards glared at the insolent youth with even darker murderous expressions, but the youth paid it no mind. The princess who ruined the cheery atmosphere returned with her bodyguards to Haro’s side, in her place, Torway came running from upstream accompanied by two subordinates from the Medics.

“I’m back, Ik-kun, Maa-kun. Would this situation mean that things went well?”

“Ik-kun forbidden- but I suppose it’s a nice result. Your report, please.”

“Right, understood. As planned, I did climb trees together with my subordinates at the river crossing point upstream, but… who came up there were Yatori-san’s soldiers, though? Since only three of them went ahead, we know that they were scouts meant to confirm the presence of our forces.”

“I see. Did you bring them down?”

“We shot them all, and they’re ‘killed in action’. After that, we sounded their signal gong, but… about that, though, it’s the worst pattern among the several we hypothesized.”

“Ahh, Yatori has always operated to the upper limits of our hypotheses, hasn’t she? Without directing all of the soldiers in her platoon to the river crossing point upstream, she leaves her main force in the middle so they can support their allies at any time, and sent light-footed reconnaissance soldiers to confirm whether my platoon was actually coming.”

With that, if the enemy were there, they could counter attack, and if the enemy weren’t, they could be confident that it was a trap and return to the main force. It was a reliable and careful way of attacking very like her. Ikta thought to prevent the reconnaissance soldiers from sending the sound signal so he had sent skilled gunner soldiers, Torway included, upstream, but… at this rate, it seemed that there being no sign from her subordinates in itself confirmed the presence of a trap for Yatori.

“Well, it’s fine. In any case, we’ve shaved off a substantial part of the enemy’s battle forces. Even by just comparing the number of remaining enemies and the number of allies ‘killed in action,’ you can tell that the recent battle was a great victory for us.”

“It’d be easier if they’d just surrender, though…. In actuality, the enemy has suffered enough damage that it wouldn’t be so far-fetched, no?”

Matthew said that in a slightly tired condition, and Ikta stuck out his tongue and shook his head horizontally.

“If their supreme commander weren’t Sadist Ikemen, then we could hope for a surrender. With his nature, he is not unlikely to make his army fight until the last man so he himself isn’t ‘killed in action.’”

As he let Torway and Matthew return to their respective platoons, Ikta faced all of the soldiers and made a declaration.

“-Therefore, everyone, I’m sorry but I have another job for you. First, shall we head to the northern entrance of the Woodlands? We’ll take the detour route from the east, so all the survivors don’t be late and follow~”

He gave a command in a trailing voice that was unexpected for many of the soldiers. Sergeant Major Suuya, the head of the file that began marching despite the confusion, confirmed Ikta’s intentions.

“…Warrant Officer, are we going in pursuit? Are you confident that the escaped enemy is in the north? Even so, why the detour and not the direct route?”

“Ahaha, you’re so serious, Suuya~ Be more easygoing when you go about it.”

Not panicking, not hurrying, at a constant pace, Ikta began his explanation to a baffled Suuya.

*

“Hahh, hahh, Shit…! It shouldn’t- it shouldn’t have turned out like this!”

Captain Sariha, who had lost the confrontation interposing the Kuriri River, bringing along his remaining subordinates, escaped to a place that he could feel was somewhat safe. But both the soldiers and he himself resembled a dog, completely exhausted with its tail between its legs.

“Older brother, will you drink, water?”

First Lieutenant Sushuraf was also beside him, ever silent and expressionless, was supporting his brother. Taking the canteen from his younger brother, Sariha drained the contents in one gulp, but in the process, water had entered his trachea and he choked.

“Coughcough! ….Damn, what the hell is this! Why were those guys able to come at us running on water!? The water depth over there should definitely be to just under one’s chest! Is Ikta Solork a fucking magician?!”

“Older brother, calm down. That was probably because they submerged something in the water. I daresay an object like a bridge.”

“Bridge- A bridge!? A bridge is something we lay over water, and those fucking Illumination Division carpenters would take days or weeks to build it! The earliest they could have arrived here was yesterday night!”

Sariha, unable to accept the unpleasant reality, began yelling, and a while after his arrival, Yatorishino Igsem came over to him. Her platoon had also sustained quite some damage, but there was strength in her soldiers’ eyes, and the remaining forces were gathering one after the other.

“I’m surprised. Does even a person such as you, Captain, know the concept of a universal escape route?”

The first thing out of Yatori’s mouth was sarcasm, but she was quite seriously surprised.

A “universal route” was a military term, and it said, “take any path you want but gather at this location.” In this situation, it implied a meeting place for when they had been defeated and scattered, but….

“Keh…! Why you, Yatorishino…!”

Sariha couldn’t retort with anything. Whether he had thought about losing before the fighting, or whether he couldn’t think that he was sure to win- whichever was true, this matter was already nothing more than an embarrassment for him.

“I-I’m not the only one at fault here! If you had come to support me earlier…!”

“Please excuse me for that. But if there is a unit that can move faster than mine, then show it to me.”

Yatori spoke coldheartedly. Yatori had confidence regarding her tactics for this battle. She had done the best she could under the conditions set by her incompetent superior officer- if Ikta were here, he might be saying that right now.

In actuality, if not for her decision to leave the entirety of her platoon on friendly territory, Sariha’s and Sushuraf’s troops would probably have been destroyed in pursuit. Sariha was also aware of this, and he was miserable about it.

“By the way, what will you do? If we rebuild our troops and have another battle, you, the supreme commander, must give us directions. –And as you can see, my platoon is always ready to fight.”

“…, y-you don’t need to tell me that!”

Standing as if a flame were held to his behind, Sariha shouted at the weary survivors and had them reform their columns. After that, he fell deep in thought for 10 seconds, then brought to his mouth the first plan he could think of.

“We’re ambushing them. We’ll hide soldiers on both sides of the road stretching west of the open area in the north, and the moment they come by, we’ll attack from the left and right. First we attack from the outside, then we charge at them. If we do that, then we should be able to compensate for our disadvantage in numbers.”

That’s not a bad plan, Yatori thought. Only if the enemy pursues us, though.

“For that purpose, it’ll be necessary to have the light-footed soldiers go ahead and grasp the enemy’s current location, though…”

“In that case mobilize your soldiers, Yatorishino! They’re just bursting with energy, aren’t they!?”

Firmly suppressing a sigh, Yatori shook her head vertically. –Bursting with energy, was it?

It was amazing how he could say that, she thought. …They abruptly turned back from halfway up the path upstream to save their allies, and even undertook rear guard combat to prevent the enemy’s pursuit. There was no way that they were less exhausted than the group that only fled the scene.

While considering these things, before even 10 seconds passed after she received the command, Yatori chose three soldiers from her unit and deployed them as scouts. After seeing them leave, Sariha also immediately began his march.

“Let’s have some fun, Ikta Solork. I’ll give a good one to that smug face of yours…!”

*

“-I’d say Sadist Ikemen is getting fired up about his revenge around now. On the contrary, we weren’t pursuing them or anything in the first place~”

Saying that, Ikta tauntingly stuck his tongue out in the air. Suuya creased her eyebrows.

“I know that there is the risk of ambush during a pursuit, though…if we don’t attack for fear of that, how are we supposed to win this fight?”

“You’re pretty thickheaded, no, Suuya? But in that case, let me ask you something- if it were you, how would you deal with an enemy waiting to ambush somewhere along the route?”

“Well…normally, I would have the soldiers be completely on guard to their left, right, and rear. So that they will be able to respond immediately when they receive a surprise attack,...”

“That’s straightforward, but it a little unscientific. With your method, in contrast to the enemy which could come attacking us at any time, we have to continue being vigilant the entire time. Since the enemy can just gauge the timing to attack us after seeing our figures. We’d have a much harder time than they would. It’s not really worth it.”

“…Then, would it be better to split from the path ourselves and go looking for the enemy in the forest…?”

“That is even more unscientific. There is a high probability that we won’t find them if we search at random, and if we get lucky and do find them, then by that time our opponents will also have noticed our presence. If we walk and push through vegetation in large numbers, like it or not we’re going to make noise.”

“…So what are you saying that we do? I mean, nothing’s gonna happen if we don’t find the enemy-“

Interrupting her, Ikta thrust his index finger in front of Suuya’s eyes.

“Listen well, Suuya- first please abandon your preconceived notion that ‘we are pursuing the enemy.’ There’s no rule anywhere saying that we have to pursue and destroy an escaped enemy at all costs. If an unjustifiable pursuit will on the contrary welcome a disadvantage, then it’s better to just think of different plan, see?”

“…a different plan…?”

“Incidentally, this is what I was thinking. --If we’re the ones giving pursuit, then we’ll be exhausted- that being said, we are reluctant to be the ones pursued. But if we are making them pursue us, then that’s exciting. On that point, war and romance are completely the same.”

*

Sariha was impatient. Already more than one hour had passed after he finished concealing soldiers on both sides of the road which he anticipated to be the surprise attack location. In spite of that, no matter how much time passes, the main enemy forces won’t come in pursuit.

“…What the hell is up with this- did those guys have no intention to fight in the first place? …Hey, Yatorishino!”

“Yes. What is it, Captain?”

“Are the scouts still not back yet!? Can’t they perform one reconnaissance job properly?!”

His hypocritical abuse going in one ear and out the other, Yatori explained uninterestedly.

“I directed the soldiers I sent as scouts to go, in order, south, then east, then north in search of the enemy. Therefore, if they are this late in returning here, that means that the enemy forces at the Kuriri River did not head directly north- in other words, that there is a high probability that they didn’t take a straightforward route in their pursuit.”

“What the hell? In other words my orders were wrong!?”

Yatori was fed up with this superior officer who became hysteric no matter what she said, but she suddenly heard a noise and turned around. The three soldiers she sent as scouts, were standing there out of breath.

“”We make our report, Warrant Officer Yatorishino. The three enemy platoons, seem to have taken a detour route east from the Kuriri River to go north. Currently, they have already deployed their main forces in a formation to block the northern entrance of the Southern Urt Woodlands.

Sariha, hearing that report from nearby, dropped his jaw in shock, not understanding what it meant.

“…They blocked, the northern entrance of the Woodlands? What for? What’s Ikta Solork planning?”

With a backward glance at her perplexed superior officer, Yatori , who had realized Ikta’s intentions, curved her lips.

“-They got us. Our escape route has been cut off, Captain.”

“Huh?”

“Have you forgotten where we came from to go to the Southern Urt Woodlands? It was the northern entrance. In addition, we will eventually have to pass through the northern entrance to return to the Center Base. That being said, if the return route is blocked when the mock battle ends, that would mean it was a lost battle because withdrawal was impossible.”

Sariha’s face instantly turned pale. He hadn’t considered that angle until just now.

“I-if you give it some time, then the mock battle will end, right? So what’s withdrawal being impossible or whatever-“

“Of course, they can’t actually prevent us from returning by passing through the northern entrance. However, this is a matter of interpretation, Captain. When we assume that this is a real battleground, you understand that there is no such official announcement of the ‘end of fighting’, correct? In that case, ’’what happens if the fighting continues on like this?’’ --I think that the victor of the mock battle should be decided on the basis of that realistic assumption-”

“…,, so if we can’t do anything with our escape route cut off, that equals their victory?”

“The justification of that verdict increases. Because in the current situation, we have already sustained greater damages.”

Sariha bit his nail and thought deeply. …In the first place, the first mock battle of the practice was usually a simple affair, with the first time the fighting started in the open area in the north also being the last, that ended in the destruction of one side. A judgment or a retreat- when he had been a warrant officer himself, it never turned into such a complicated matter.

“…So that guy, who dealt with this as a real battle, was better prepared than me, who took part in this thinking it was a game<ref>written as: おあそび(game); read as:模擬戦(mock battle)</ref>? Better than me, a captain on active duty? -Argh, don’t fuck with me!”

A frenzied Sariha, by forcefully kicking each of their backs, returned the soldiers hidden in the brushwood to the road. When they, including Sushuraf’s platoon which was encamped on the opposite side, reformed their files, he ordered a forward march in a furious voice.

“Head for the northern entrance! If that’s what they want, then we’ll go at them directly! We’re not letting this gap in numbers stop us- I command a battalion of 600 soldiers as a captain in actual war, got it!? If this is just a plain and simple matchup between numbers, then it’s obvious that we win when it comes to experience!”

Not lending an ear to Yatori’s voice asking him to calm down, Sariha started the march at full speed.

*

“Oh- We’re here, we’re here. Alright, all troops, ‘’look like you’re ready to shoot, okay’’?”

Ikta, who deployed the soldiers in a formation to block the way of the northern entrance, when he could see the enemy in his field of vision, made them take a position to intercept them. Bow gun and air shooter muzzles were lined up next to each other at equal intervals.

“However, ‘prepare yourself for a charge.’’ After the signal, which is the moment they reform their files into ranks, we will fight and pierce through it. And so, ready your arms.”

A confirmation followed. Giving detailed instructions to his subordinates, he himself had already joined the line of battle with a bow gun in hand.

“This isn’t something we need to rush. Don’t stick out, and consciously coordinate with your allies when you attack, alright? The best spearwork is the same as trash when compared to teamwork.”

The enemy halted at a distance that came barely within range of an air shooter, and they finally began changing their battle formation from the columns used for marching to the rows meant for attacking. With the instant of the deciding battle within sight, the soldiers swallowed.

“Hey, hurry up and change to your ranks! If I need to say it again I’ll kick you!”

On one hand, there was more or less a chance of victory for Sariha, who was making his allies, low in morale, take action through threats.

The enemy was deployed in a formation that blocked the northern entrance of the Southern Urt Woodlands. Conversely, no matter what happened, they couldn’t go back any further. He was able to see a way to win at this ‘cliff as per the rules.’

“’’Push them back…!’’ If they leave the designated battle area in the middle of the mock battle, that is a grand violation of orders. If even one of their soldiers passes the boundary line, they’ll be disqualified for breaking the rules!”

He didn’t consider it a disadvantageous match. Fortunately, the enemy forces were ready to meet them. When that side stopped their feet, this side would charge with all their remaining strength, so they could probably cover the difference in numbers with force. The path was narrow, so the enemy couldn’t escape to the sides.

“Listen up, even if you’re ‘killed in action,’ don’t just fall down. Pretend that you didn’t notice you got shot and push the enemy as far in as you can.”

With a sidelong glance at her superior officer who gave an order which was nothing if not a violation of the rules itself, Yatori secretly heaved a sigh. –She was tired of listening to this captain on active duty. Did he think he could command dead people on the battlefield?

With the soldiers’ disappointment imperceptibly increasing, their columns were finally arranged in a charging formation. As if sending the order to attack from the rear side, Sariha inflated his chest completely with air, but-

“...ALRIGHT, ALL UNITS CHAR- ack!?”

His order was awkwardly cut off. If one looked, pink paint was splattered on the back of Captain Sariha’s head. At the sudden, unpredicted turn of events, the soldiers next to him only widened their eyes and looked at their superior officer.

“…Huh…?”

The person himself, dumbfounded, put a hand to the back of his head. The moment he saw the sticky evidence that he had been “killed in action,” he slowly began to comprehend the situation. –He had been shot. From where? Diagonally from the back. Then, by whom?

When his questions reached that point, the answer was derived almost intuitively. Sariha turned his body around and glared with a furious expression into the forest next to the road, and shrieked at the culprit hidden inside.

“…TORURU- YOU BASTAARDD!”

With that scream as the beginning, the enemy’s attack against the supreme commander’s former troops started. An air shooter volley fired at them diagonally from the back, coordinating with their allies, the soldiers in directly ahead of them also came charging in formation. The soldiers, deployed to attack and becoming attacked themselves, panicked and made a commotion, the majority being unable to adequately return fire.

“—They got us. Not bad, Torway…!”

In midst of that, Yatori still had the composure to assess the situation. –I see, at first glance, it appeared that all of the enemy’s forces were deployed directly ahead, but they disguised the number using a concave line of battle. The ones who were left out of that were concealed at the sides of the path, and they opened fire the moment our main forces passed by.

A surprise attack from the sides by the troops in ambush. What Sariha had tried to pull off earlier was just pulled off in a similar fashion by the enemy. Yatori wasn’t surprised. If it’s Ikta, then she knew he’d do at least that much.

What she ought to be praising right now, was the gunning unmatched in accuracy that took Sariha down in just one hit. First, it was undoubtedly Torway’s handiwork. When she thought of the skill that brought down the commander who was supposed to be in a safety zone with one carefully aimed shot, she once again remembered the terror of the two soldiers of the name, “Remeon of the Bullet.”

“…First Lieutenant Sushuraf, Captain was ‘killed in action!’ Take over as the supreme commander!”

While stopping the main force of the enemy charging at them from the front, Yatori yelled to her only remaining superior officer. Whether to retreat to provide resistance, she couldn’t mobilize any platoon but her own with the authority she possessed. Now, as they were being partly sieged from the front and back, an immediate decision of their objective as a whole was essential.

“…Understood. We no longer have any prospect of winning this decisive battle. We’ll break their siege and escape into the trees.”

Saying that in a low voice, Sushuraf prepared the large-caliber air shooter he carried on his back with one hand, and fired it at the wall of enemy soldiers. The paint that spattered across a wide scope saw to four soldiers being “killed in action” in one shot.

“I created an opening. Wrench open that hole, Yatorishino.”

“—Roger that.”

Faced with adversity, a twisted smile rose to Yatori’s lips. It was simple and precise, but the execution was extremely difficult. This kind of order was exactly what she wanted.

Keeping control even now in this dire situation, Yatori’s platoon began moving and tore into the small seam in the siege. Repelling the enemies blocking their way, pushing their way through waves of people with abandon- in the end, though there were more injuries to their allies, she executed her order at last.

“Continue.”

From the prepared escape route, the platoon which Sushuraf was leading began withdrawing without a moment’s delay. However, the platoon which Sariha personally commanded, unable to recover from the initial confusion, was already destroyed. Less than one-third of the remaining two platoons was still surviving. To anyone’s eyes, this was a decisive rout.

As the defeated soldiers fled into the trees, Yatori suddenly creased her eyebrows as she escaped from the free-for-all fight,

“…First Lieutenant Sushuraf. The rule is that those ‘killed in action’ would remain where they are.”

The source of her confusion was being carried on Sushuraf’s shoulder. As if it were natural, the younger brother was carrying the older brother, who in a state of peace surpassing anger that had no relation to the fact that he’d lost all power as per the rules.

“If this were an actual battle, I would never desert my older brother. Even if he were a corpse.”

“--. I see.”

After hearing Sushuraf’s short words, Yatori didn’t pursue it further. She didn’t feel like criticizing him for the breach of the rules. Just, if she were in the same position, what would she have done? -She thought a little about that inevitability.

“Mmm- aww, they didn’t let us destroy them…”

Watching the enemy disappear into the trees, Ikta lightly scratched the back of his head.

“Knowing Yatori, I did think that she might break through, you see. First Lieutenant Sushuraf’s shot which created the opening- now that was a bit unfair, no? Well, we have Torway on our side, so let’s call it even, shall we?”

Next to him, Sergeant Major Suuya nodded vaguely. Next to them, the soldiers, overjoyed at their victory, were in an uproar, and sending enthusiastic glances at their leader. But, that person ignored them and clapped his hands together.

“Alrigh~t, everyone settle settle. We let the enemy escape, but the mock battle ended with this. There’s no time left, so we won’t pursue them. –So Haro! Please give medical attention to the injured!”

“Wahh! W-we were found again!?”

Haro’s Medics platoon, timidly coming out of the trees, began looking after the injured persons that were mass produced in the recent battle. While watching that out of the corner of his eye, Ikta briefly surveyed the soldiers in front of him.

“With this, there’s no need to worry about the future. –Therefore, now is the time to scold my beloved subordinates. This is addressed to the team with no relation to whether you’re alive or dead. Well then, prepare yourselves!”

Saying that and putting his hands together, Ikta cracked his knuckles loudly. The soldiers were caught by surprise. They never would have guessed that he was the type of superior officer who engaged in corporal punishment.

“Private First Class Guemp! Private First Class Aigi! Private Vio! Corporal Dobai! Come before me!”

The four soldiers called by name nervously walked up to their superior officer. Ikta silently glared at them one by one before opening his mouth.

“The-four-of-you, even though I made such a point of it, stuck out too much when we charged. What’s the big idea? Do you want to be surrounded by the enemy? Are you masochists who love being sieged and destroyed by the enemy? Are you at the rebellious age? Basically, are you idiots? Do you want to die?”

The soldiers were dumbfounded. Usually, when one was reproved by one’s superior, there was nothing but yelling involved, and this nagging way of being scolded was rare. In addition, since there was this strange humor to be heard in it, they somehow ended up just listening to it.

“Keep doing that and you’ll die. If you jump out like that you’ll have to face three or four opponents at once with just one of you. I know of one person who call pull that kind of stunt off, but if you try copying that<ref>written as: ヤトリ(Yatori); read as: あれ(that)</ref> you’re definitely going to die.

Do you understand? I’ll say it now since I have the chance. I don’t need any brave people in Ikta-kun’s unit. I’d much rather have lazy people. Instead of secluding yourself in the mountains and undergoing ascetic training so you can win one-vs-three, constantly think of ways you can fight three-vs-one in your bed. That’s what you call a scientific way of thinking.”

At this point, the person himself already forgotten what the point of the scolding was. What he said after was close to instinct.

“But I can’t have you misunderstanding. Being lazy in the right way, is actually extremely difficult. When you’re lazy in the wrong way, you’ll accordingly end up having to work more than necessary. On the other hand, when you work the wrong way, you’ll accordingly end up not being able to relax.

Well then. When you think these things through, both being lazy in the right way and working in the right way, don’t you think that those two things end up being the same? It’s kind of contradictory, no? Well, this, you see- actually it’s not contradictory in the least, you see. ‘’Welcome to the world of science!’’”

Science? What’s that? – Commotion stirred among the soldiers. The only similar word which they knew of was “theology.”<ref>science is written as 科学 and theology is written as 神学. The author calls them similar because the second character is the same, but that similarity doesn’t translate well into English.</ref> The word that had yet to be recorded in that world’s dictionary was “science.”

With a speaking style similar to that of a founder of a new religion, or rather ‘’with that very style itself’’, Ikta continued.

“Logical and utilitarian, and as a result a fantastic way of thinking that lets you be extremely lazy. That is the essence of science.

You should think it over- how did humans advance this far? -Humans planted fields. Because it was a pain to go out hunting every day for unstable game. –Humans dug wells. Because it was a pain to go one by one to draw water from the river. –Humans coined money. Because it was a pain to carry around heavy goods to exchange them.

Conclusion. The evolution of humanity, all of it was led by the impulse of, ‘I want to relax.’ …If that is the case, what about war? Of course, war is also the same. That is to say, the ‘relaxed war’ is therefore the ‘correct war!’”

Caught in a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturation_attack saturation attack], no one noticed that the logic in between skipped about five steps. And more frightening- Ikta himself had no definite self-awareness of his ability to incite others with rhetoric among his god-given weapons.

“So come with me! Whenever troops of Ikta Solork fight, we will be relaxed, and we will be victorious! Invincibility is standard, and laziness first-class! To those who follow me, I’ll bring relaxation unto each and every one you!”

The moment he finished speaking, Ikta realized, “Ahh- whoops, I overdid it.” But, it was already too late.

At first, all anyone did was stare dumbly in amazement, and the voice that disturbed the silence was truly a tiny one. However, that commotion slowly but surely was repeated and amplified among the soldiers. As a ripple arising from one point on water spreads across the entire surface while forcefully growing in height. The response of the soldiers who had received Ikta’s grand address soon reached a final climax with cheering mixed with applause--.

“”””””YEEAAHHH! IKTA SOLORK! IKTA SOLORK!””””””

At his own name being chanted by countless overlapping voices, Ikta was overcome with surprise. Even though he had only thought to use this opportunity to earn the soldiers’ trust, he had far surpassed that goal before he realized it.

“Hey, what is this? …The triumphant return of some great hero…?”

Filled neither with joy nor with a sense of accomplishment, genuine chills ran down Ikta’s spine. There are two types of geniuses- someone thought that once. Thus, this might have been the first incident proving that- in that sense- Ikta Solork was not the same type as Anarai Khan.

“Wow- Ik-kun, you’ve become really popular when I wasn’t looking!”

Torway, who had been commanding the detached soldiers in ambush, had returned. However, Matthew twitched his cheeks and corrected his statement.

“No, he became really popular ‘’as you were looking’’…. What the hell was that speech before? The humor was simple, but there was a weird passion running through it. I mean, don’t go winning over the soldiers in our units too.”

“…Matthew, Ikemen…. No, sorry. I cast too wide a net with my preaching.”

Slapping his cheeks with both hands and bracing himself, Ikta returned his gaze to the problem at hand.

“A~lright- Everyone settle~. For the time being let’s just maintain our line of battle until time is called~.”

When Ikta requested silence with with his prolonged expressions, even the rowdy soldiers slowly quieted down. When adequate order returned to area’s atmosphere, Torway opened his mouth.

“…That reminds me. When we were hiding in the trees earlier, we saw Her Highness, Chamille.”

“Ahh- the princess? I thought that she wasn’t close by- so she was with the other side?”

“Yea, together with her bodyguards, she was walking west looking around restlessly for something…maybe she got bored of spectating and left?”

“—No, that would be strange.”

“Wha?”

“That princess has a strong sense of responsibility unbefitting her age. She wouldn’t do anything like leave the location when the deciding battle has yet to happen. If she were picking flowers, she’d probably swallow her pride and make do with somewhere close by. At the very least, it’s suspicious that she isn’t here right now.”

“That’s pretty exaggerated- it’s probably just a whim. Didn’t she just go to see Yatori?”

“The direction is fundamentally wrong. If that were the case, she’d be going south, not west, Matthew.”

“Then… maybe, she was looking for me?”

“I won’t say the chances are nonexistent, but they’re slim. Even if she notices the absence of Platoon Torway, then the princess would’ve realized that meant that you were lying in ambush for a surprise attack. Would she drag her bodyguards along when she goes looking there? She may be a princess, but she can read a situation.”

An uncomfortable feeling grew inside Ikta. Leaving the other two behind, he settled the question.

“…There is no reason. Yes, that is the biggest problem. At a point before the start of battle, there is no reason whatsoever for the princess to be heading west. If her objective in coming to watch the practice was simply to spectate, or to keep the Remeon brothers in check, for her to achieve that, she had to ‘be here.’ Nevertheless, she was ‘heading west’…”

Both of Ikta’s eyes opened wide. The next moment, he gave an unbelievable order.

*

“…Nnn….”

With a cloudy consciousness, the princess felt like she was being carried on the back of a large turtle. The back she suddenly felt was nothing but hard, and massive. Though as the result of the drugs she inhaled, she didn’t retain the reasoning power to determine that it was light armor.

“I apologize for my impertinence, Your Highness, the Princess. Please wait a bit for now…”

The male bodyguard who was carrying her on his back, though not 10 minutes had passed since he swapped roles, didn’t know how many times he had already repeated the same apology.

“…Hey, sorry, I can’t do it anymore. Can you switch with me…?”

“…Ahh”

That this girl’s body, which was supposed to be as light as a feather, weighed as heavily as gold on those who carried her was not just the fault of their exhaustion from continuously walking inside the forest for a long time- not at all.

For humans born and raised in the Empire, the royal family was almost synonymous with the gods. As long as one wasn’t an extremist traitor, one couldn’t forget the respect due to those beings. …Even the ones committing these reckless actions were no exception to this spirituality as subjects of the Empire.

“…Please forgive me, Your Highness, the Princess. Please forgive me…”

When several minutes passed since he received the small body, an apology as such invariably came slipping out from the mouth of the human carrying her. Those continued to enter Her Highness’s ear, who was half asleep, and it recalled even to her dim consciousness the earlier events--.

“Where is he!? Where has Solork collapsed?!”

Not caring that her beautiful golden hair had become covered in tree leaves, Her Highness, the Princess, ran in search of the youth’s form. The impetus came about 10 minutes before, beginning with the report one bodyguard brought back. He told her, “the Medics soldier I met there was saying that Ikta Solork was bleeding and collapsed in the west.’”

From the moment she heard that, she lost her normal judgment. The belief that “Solork is at the northern entrance planning to summon and destroy the enemy forces” also vanished. Although she couldn’t confirm his figure from her location, and she had trust in her bodyguards, the major truth of it was that the human being Ikta Solork was the singular deciding factor for her. Recently when it came to matters involving him, reason was becoming slightly ineffective on Chamille. And before she knew it, she was being lured west to a place far removed from the main battle location, the northern entrance of Woodlands. However, her bodyguards also accompanied her for a while pretending to search for Ikta. Because they didn’t have confirmation that there was no other humans around.

No, on the contrary, there were a few people who were truly searching. It wasn’t that all of the 20 bodyguards were betraying her. However, the fact that they were only a fraction compared to villains was unavoidable, and what awaited them was a quite sudden tragedy.

“Wha…!? J-just what are you-“ “Y-your Highness, please esca…!“

An air shooter bullet released from behind pierced through the innocent body guards one after the other. …Even so, the ones who avoided instant death desperately tried to protect the princess. There were also those who, covered in blood, took the princess and continued to flee for several minutes.

However, their devotion made no difference. With the sound of compressed air being released, blood spilled from a fifth head, and the villains’ hands finally reached Her Highness, the Princess, with whom he had been escaping.

“Please forgive me, Your Highness, the Princess. We will be having you come with us.”

Beginning things with an apology, one of the villains declared their treachery. That man was a veteran soldier serving as the leader of the bodyguards, his name Ison Hou, who worked his way up the ranks to captain. He had strong faith in superior officers, enough to be entrusted with the protection of the princess, and he was given the stamp of approval by the upper echelon of the army in the screening process.

“…The story that Solork collapsed, was that a lie to lure me away?”

When that came out of the cornered princess’s mouth, she herself was surprised, but it was also a confirmation. Even at that time, still in a corner of her mind, the vision of Ikta lying prone and covered in blood remained.

“Yes. …Since it seemed Your Highness had taken an interest in him, we used it as a pretext.”

There was no sarcasm in Captain Ison’s phrasing, but Her Highness, the Princess’s cheeks suddenly burned red.

“It seems I confused the order of my questions. –Why are you doing this?”

“…”

“Answer me! Do you have a rendezvous to uphold?!”

“Please forgive me. We know that Your Highness, the Princess, is innocent.”

Stubbornly not answering with a reason, Captain Ison only piled on more apologies. With that as a cue, other bodyguards came from behind him and surrounded her.

“S-stop! …Mmph!? MMPHH!”

Still, the princess, with a drug-laced handkerchief put over her mouth and nose, didn’t faint within a few seconds. She flailed her arms and legs for over three minutes and when he confirmed that she finally quieted down, Captain Ison gave and order to his subordinate.

“Carry her on your back. Sincerely try not to treat her too roughly.”

With that low, composed voice as the last thing she knew, Her Highness, the Princess’s consciousness became vague, and she saw only dreams of being carried by an enormous turtle from that point forward.

However, in her dream, she felt that the turtle was shedding tears. It was just like a turtle at the time of spawning…

*

Using the meeting location for times when they were routed for the second time in the span of one day, Captain Sariha had gone beyond both panic and anger, and was rather in a trance-like state.

“Older brother, I’m pouring it on your head.”

“…”

Concerned for his older brother who had paint sticking all over his head, Sushuraf poured water from a canteen and washed it off. Sariha himself said nothing as it was being done. Yatori found it quite ironic that the man who only made mistakes as the supreme commander, was exhibiting exemplary behavior as someone “killed in action.”

“-First Lieutenant Sushuraf, the time limit for the mock battle will pass soon. Won’t you send the signal of surrender?”

While measuring the inclination of her eyes, Yatori made the obvious suggestion. But, the moment the three-syllable word “surrender” came from her mouth, Captain Sariha yelled out forgetting his single good decision as a dead body.

“Here, surrender!? Don’t fuck around, who’s surrendering…!”

“…Captain. There’s no need to say it, but the current supreme commander is First Lieutenant Sushuraf.”

“The hell I’m listening to what a shitty warrant officer has to say! I’m not giving in- until I beat the shit out of Toruru and Ikta Solork, I’ll never surrender…!”

At the sight of her superior officer yelling and his spit flying, Yatori persuaded him in a soft tone.

“Captain, please listen. In any case, the mock battle will be over soon. If we don’t send the signal of surrender now, it will only injure your honor, Captain, to be known as ‘the commander who doesn’t even know when he’s lost.’ At the very least, receiving that dishonor in a practice against new recruits wasn’t your true intention as a Captain was it?”

“…”

“Now, you can still end the mock battle saying, ‘I was completely cornered, but the last retreat was a success.’ By acknowledging your loss, you can show your generosity. Do you understand? ”

Sariha’s voice lost its strength, and a shadow came over his downcast face. Yatori wrapped up her argument with a single phrase.

“Please give us your wise decision as supreme commander.”

Even addressed as such, while hiding his face, Sariha’s shoulders trembled slightly and he said nothing.

….However, if you looked closely, water fell in drops onto the collar of his army uniform from his downcast face.

Yatori gave a sigh and turned her body, and sat herself down on a fallen tree nearby. I wonder what Ikta would do if he were here- suddenly, she thought about that. Would he hit his dejected conversation partnerwhere it hurt?

“You can’t do anything, can you? That guy, he’s strict on men with pretty faces, so-“

The moment she muttered that and smiled, a metallic sound reached them coming from nowhere.

Those who understood the meaning of that sound, Yatori being the first, showed their surprise one by one and stood up.

“…A signal of surrender? Why are they-no, not just that…”

Quieting the clamoring soldiers with a sharp look, Yatori focused on her hearing. It was as if several signals with different meanings were being repeated. Not just a normal sound signal, this was certainly….

“…I see. I don’t quite understand, but I’ve got it.”

Rather than thinking about it too deeply, they should act. Making that judgment according to her natural intuition and dynamism, she made the soldiers in her platoon who were confused by the sudden situation line up in front of her.

“Excluding the 28 people we lost track of, total 12 people…it’s a little flaky, but there’s nothing I can do.”

“Where are you going, Yatorishino?”

Before she requested for permission to depart, not Sariha but Sushuraf came asking instead. Though she was slightly surprised at first, Yatori, judging that he had taken supreme command given Sariha’s condition, informed him.

“Yatorishino Igsem with under 20 soldiers is now heading west.”

“The signal just now?”

“Yes. I wasn’t able to understand it completely, but in any case I fear that there is an emergency situation,”

“Understood. Take what’s left of my platoon with you. Though the majority of them are exhausted. Hey-”

When Sushuraf began talking in a low voice, the air shooter soldiers who had been sitting in protest stood up, and joined the end of Yatori’s files. At the extremely unexpected assistance, she widened her eyes and looked at the gigantic first lieutenant.

“If they get worn out during the journey, leave them.”

“Naturally, I’ll accept this privilege, but… Why are you letting me do this?”

“You saved my older brother in the first battle. I’m grateful for that.”

His words were few, but in them was a simple reason that satisfied Yatori. She stretched her spine and bowed to the first lieutenant, and giving a final glance at Sariha, starting running as soldiers’ vanguard.

*

“…What’s that sound, ever since earlier?”

The 15 former bodyguards advancing through the forest, had long been puzzled about the metallic sound of unknown meaning that came ringing from afar. They thought that it had some meaning, but they could distinguish it no matter how hard they concentrated.

“Ignore it. Even if they noticed Her Highness, the Princess’s disappearance, the training units have just finished their mock battle and lack a system of command. I can’t imagine how that they could carry out an effective pursuit of us.“

Now taking in one hand the princess who had circulated between his subordinates, Captain Ison stated his objective views. His voice was always low, heavy, and unwavering. The commander was constantly like this because he learned it from a revered superior officer very long ago.

“Just a little more, then we’ll come out on the main road. The arranged cavalry is waiting for us there. Then we have achieved our mission.”

“…That’s right. Just a little, just a little more...”

Ison knew that his subordinates’ hearts were wavering. They were likely thinking not that their mission would be over in just a little while, but that everything would be over. He didn’t think that was impossible.

“If it’s painful to look at the princess, then don’t look anymore. You all should have been prepared at the start.”

The captain’s strict words settled his subordinates whose hearts were wavering between loyalty and justice. That will tide them over, Ison judged. It was a prediction grounded on long years of experience. However, that was-.

“-Fire!” “…!?”

At approximately the same time as his short command, air shooter bullets and bow gun arrows came flying at them from all angles. Blood and scraps of fabric fluttered down, and two of the more unlucky people lost their footing and fell forward.

But, with the divine protection of their light armor, the remaining 13 soldiers got away either unscathed or with slight injuries. While sensing that that the enemy forces were small in scale, Ison took up a bow gun arrow that had lodged at his feet and gazed at it intently.

“...I can imagine it. In the place of arrowheads, they sharpened the tip of the wooden arrows, did they?”

Ison saw through various things in a few seconds. The enemy troops had fewer numbers than a platoon, and the larger part of their composition was accounted for by divisions other than the air shooters. It was obvious from the circumstances that they were training troops with no weapons meant for actual battle, their scheme to compensate for that was the bow gun arrow with a sharpened tip. It also seemed that the air shooter soldiers were firing paint bullets having made the gas pressure of the pressurized air the same as that when using real bullets, but the penetrative power of the bullets themselves was low and insufficient in strength.

As if the Captain’s composure had been contagious, and the other bodyguards weren’t agitated even as they received the assault. Surrounding the captain and the princess in a circle, they pointed the muzzles of each of the air shooters they prepared uniformly in all directions.

“You number fewer than a platoon, and I can gather that you are not air shooter soldiers. It is also highly unlikely that you are the Medics soldiers. If you were Illumination soldiers, you would use the darkness of the woods to your advantage and resort to blinding us with High Beams. Therefore, you are a Ballistics platoon which has lost its strength. –Correct, Warrant Officer Yatorishino Igsem?”

His somewhat cold observing eye made the soldiers hiding in the darkness of the trees shiver. Unimpressed with that reaction, Ison continued further.

“Well then, carry out a second volley. Even if one or two people die-“

“This time, you’ll know our positions- correct?”

That voice reached Ison’s ears along with the sound of shoe soles and dirt chafing together. At the exact same time, the blade of a saber was held to the nape of his neck.

“But, there is also this method of learning my position. The soldier uniform suits you, but aren’t you wearing your cap too low?”

“…So you were lying in wait up a tree? To unhesitatingly fly into the middle of the enemy, you’re quite the hero, Warrant Officer Igsem.”

Ison wasn’t perturbed even in these circumstances, but as expected the same couldn’t be said for his subordinates. Startled at the girl who suddenly appeared in the middle of the circle, they panicked and moved to turn the gun muzzles around, but Yatori didn’t allow it.

“Don’t move. If even a single gun is turned toward me, your leader’s head falls.”

“Then, let my head fall as you please. I order to all troops. Turn around immediately and fire at the girl.”

Captain Ison showed absolutely no hesitation. But, again it seemed that there were no subordinates around him who could enact his order with the same resolve. It was as if a death god had completely reaped the proximity.

“…You narrowly escaped death. It seems that for as much as you think that way, they don’t think it’s right to let you die. It’s complicated, but I think that you probably ought to be happy, Captain Ison Hou.”

Captain Ison scoffed at his calculation error. Thinking a little, he settled on a simple resolution.

“We’re deadlocked. But in your case, this is a desperate play for time, isn’t it?”

“I’m not the only one being unfair. It’s the same in your case, too.”

“I’ve also wagered everything I’ve got, but you're giving a better show than I am.”

They continued their farcical exchange in this tense atmosphere as if they were crossing swords. However, one change took place at that point. The princess who had been dozing off on Ison’s back opened her eyes at Yatori’s voice, which she had been accustomed to hearing.

“…Is that, Yatori? …Where…?”

“Greetings, Your Highness, the Princess. Is there anything strange about your body?”

Rubbing her sleepy eyes, and looking around, the princess gradually remembered the circumstances she had been left in, and when she realized the current encircled fighting ground situation, she then looked at Yatori with a face seeming on the verge of tears.

“It’s alright, Your Highness, please be calm. It’s the same as when you fell from the ship. He will save you soon.”

“..B-but…Solork is…?”

Her secret hope chipped away at the remainder of her anxiety. Yatori smiled gently.

“Ikta will come soon. Excuse me, I was impatient. If only you had woken up a little later, he might have coordinated perfectly with Your Highness’s awakening.”

Seeing Yatori’s smile, the princess quickly regretted her childishness. Entirely surrounded by gun-wielding enemies, under circumstances in which a millimeter of negligence was intolerable, of all things she was still concerned about someone else. How much courage that took, how much of a burden that forced the fiery-haired girl to bear, Her Highness, the Princess, couldn’t even imagine it.

“…Hm. If Your Highness, the Princess, has awakened, then it’s finally a good time to talk about our motives, no?”

Ison was the one who proposed it. Not knowing his intention, Yatori made a severe expression.

“…Motive? You mean the reason you tried to kidnap royalty even as soldiers who pledged their loyalty to the Emperor?”

“Yes. The reason we completely abandoned our pride as soldiers, and took on this crime.”

There was no inflection of any sort in his tone. Even when it came time to speak his current beliefs, that remained the same.

“Then, I will tell you. We… the 15 of us including the two collapsed there, all of us were Lieutenant General Hazaaf Rikan’s disciples.”

The one who reacted most strongly to the mention of that name was the princess who stood behind the speaker.

“…What…did you say, just now…?”

“Lieutenant General Hazaaf Rikan, who suffered a death in battle at the end of hard fighting at the Eastern Stronghold about three months earlier, was our former teacher, is what I said, Your Highness, the Princess. Each of us had served many superior officers in our military careers, but there was no greater commander than he. That is something which we will always be able to declare.”

“…Don’t tell me, your motive is…”

The princess’s voice shook. Captain Ison’s left eye stared across his back at her face.

“That is right, Third Princess. One of our former teacher’s hundred million regrets, as he was made to be a human sacrifice to compensate for the mistakes of the internal government, WAS NOT BEING ABLE TO FULFILL ONE OF YOUR INSIGNIFICANT ORDERS!”

Ison shouted. He betrayed his inhuman impression in an instant, and blustered with completely unpredictable timing. The princess who felt that fierce intensity through her entire body, entered a state of panicked fear and began to struggle on Ison’s back. But, concerning the state of affairs, the fatal change was not this, but-

“’’You finally revealed a hole in your defense, Warrant Officer Yatorishino.’’”

“…!?”

She withstood the sudden outburst. But she had been caught up by the condition of Her Highness, the Princess, who had fallen into a panic, and this time Yatori had let her concentration, which she couldn’t lose under any circumstances, slip for only a moment…!

He buried the tip of the blade into his palm. Amazingly, Ison had willingly plunged his right hand into the blade and prevented the saber’s movement. Furthermore, before the remaining main gauche swooped in, he held down Yatori’s left arm with his remaining hand. Thus throwing his opponent’s body off-balance, he flipped his enemy onto the ground with skillful martial arts…!

As if to signal its wielder’s defeat, the main gauche which left Yatori’s hand sounded as it fell to the ground.

On top of drawing out even an instant of vulnerability, he had a heart of steel that didn’t hesitate to act when the chance arose. In the end, that was likely the reason for the failure of the “Igsem of the Blade” who prided herself in being the strongest in close quarters combat.

“See by nature I don’t like to raise my voice, but…. Even still, I do try shouting once in a while.”

“…, keh…!”

“There’s no need to point your guns, you people. I can strangle her with one hand like this, so keep watch of our surroundings. Also, to her fire spirit partner, move and I kill your master.”

Shia, who had slipped out of his hip pouch, faced Ison, and prepared to release flames from his ‘fire chambers,’ stopped in his tracks. Plainly stated, this was the perfect control of the soldier who was even thoroughly aware of the spirit’s thought patterns.

“-Your Highness, the Princess, as well, don’t consider jumping off my back since I have removed my hands. Though it was disrespectful, I fastened the string of your kimono while you were sleeping. Even if you tried to escape, it would be a wasted effort.”

“S-stop! You, let Yatori…!”

Not curling up in fear and trying to rescue Yatori who was in a predicament by grabbing at the enemy, the princess’s courage was something to be commended. She moved her hands to the captain’s face from his back, and desperately dug into his skin with her nails. ..However, this attack was powerless against the man who had willingly pierced his hand with the saber, and he didn’t move a single eyebrow.

“…Gah…ngh...High,ness…”

The carotid artery in her neck pressed under his finger, Yatori’s consciousness gradually became faint from oxygen deprivation. But, as if to say he wouldn’t wait for such a leisurely death, the strength in the captain’s left hand increased. Ison’s right hand, having flung the saber to the ground by force, stopped the body of the princess, who couldn’t simply watch and jumped off his back, without even relying on the kimono string.

[[Image:Alderamin v01 297.png|thumb| A bloody wind overtook them.]]One could even hear the creaking and groaning of her neck bones. Surely, this was the instant when she was on the verge of death- completely out of nowhere, Captain Ison’s forehead started spurting blood.

“…Nn…?”

Losing feeling in his arms and legs, Captain Ison’s body began to shake violently. Strength slipped out of his left hand, which would have broken his enemy’s cervical vertebrae with another push. –That instant, Yatori, who had been held down, opened both eyes, and sprung up with all her energy. She almost instinctively took up her saber and main gauche which were lying on the ground, and then-!

“AAAHHHHHH-!”

A bloody wind overtook them. Yatori, resurrected from the brink of death, regarded everyone within reach of her blades except the princess as an enemy, and, becoming a gale of blades, mowed them down.

In two seconds four people lost their heads, and in five seconds half of all of the body guards descended into a sea of blood. Her platoon would later tell the story as witnesses- that at this time, the swords which Yatorishino Igsem wielded exceeded the limits of a human being.

One beat behind her revival, the soldiers hidden in the shadows of the surrounding trees also began their charge. There was already no means of fighting against the former bodyguards who’d been ripped apart by Yatori from the inner side. Piercing eyes or gaps in their armor with bow gun arrows- when they faltered it had been carried out one by one by Yatori’s two blades.

Not two minutes after the start of their charge, they were annihilated. …After that, only the fiery-haired girl standing dazed in the sea of blood, and her Highness, the Princess, whose body she completely bathed in the blood she brought forth, surrounded by the horrified soldiers standing around them, were left remaining in the center of the battlefield.

“A-are you unharmed, Yatori-sa…!?”

“Hey, just what the hell happened—WOAH!?”

Rushing in one after the other came Torway, who rescued Yatori from her predicament earlier with a single magnificent shot from afar, and Matthew. But even they lost their words at the sight of their ally dyed completely red with blood.

“…High,ness…. …Are, you, safe?.... Thank…goodness…”

The demonic swordsman’s stiff lips spoke human words with great difficulty. With that, Yatori finally noticed that there were no longer any enemies she needed to kill surrounding her. She tried to store her two swords in their sheathes, but even they had been torn off her hip in the course of battle. She tried to at least free her hands, but, as if they had fused with the hilts, her fingers didn’t move.

“What’s this…The swords, won’t…”

“Ya…Yato,ri…”

Even the rescued princess was frightened of that figure. She was frightened, but she thought that there was likely nothing else so beautiful, so fleeting, or so noble. She was the pair of blades. To protect her master- she was her blades of pure steel wielded with that being her dearest wish as one titled an Imperial Knight.

“—Woah, being flashy again, are we? I won’t be able to eat tomatoes for a while, seeing this.”

However, there was the youth who nonchalantly stepping into that red domain with a complaint. His short breath and sweaty skin told that he had come running here at full strength.

“…Ik,ta…?”

When the fiery-haired girl turned her blank gaze, Ikta casually raised a hand.

“Yo, Yatori, there’s something important I need to tell you. You might already know it, though… Right now, you’re really red, you know?”

What am I going to do if this fails?- entirely not worrying about that before he spoke was one of Ikta’s amazing points. And strangely, the jokes he told in extreme situations were able to calm people’s hearts.

“…Haha… Th-the red, is fine, but… I can’t stand, reeking of metal from head to toe…”

“Reek of metal? No~, that has nothing to do with being red. That’s because you’re holding those hunks of metal in both your hands.”

Saying that as if were obvious, Ikta came in front of Yatori and gently massaged not her fingers clutching the hilts but the muscles of her forearm. After he continued that for a minute, strength left her stiffened hands and the swords that had practically integrated with them separated from her palms and fell.

“There, I got it. That’s enough for today.”

“…Thank, you…. …But, what- right….I might be, a little tired…”

Saying that with a wry smile, she fell forward, leaning her body on Ikta, and lost consciousness.

Not caring that she was covered in blood as he held and supported her, the youth murmured as if he were disgusted.

“You always work too hard, you know. I tell you to be more relaxed about things, but you really don’t listen, do you?”

Entrusting her to the soldiers, Ikta turned a second time to the center of sea of blood. The princess, hugging her knees, hoped he would talk to her, but his goal was elsewhere.

“…You’re alive, aren’t you? You there, can you still talk?”

Ikta’s words were directed at Captain Ison, who laid collapsed on his face. To tell the truth, Her Highness, the Princess, was hurt by the order of his priorities, but at any rate his concern was for the dying soldier.

“…I can’t see anymore, but yes, somehow…. Your voice, you’re Warrant Officer Solork, right…?”

“And you are the leader of the body guards, Captain Ison. May I have an explanation of this situation?”

Finding it unbearable that Ikta asked for that reason out of Captain Ison’s mouth, the princess forcibly interposed her own words.

“It seems that they were Lieutenant Hazaaf Rikan’s disciples….all of the 15 people here…”

In the end, it was painful for her to say any more than this. Hearing that, Ikta’s face distorted in rage, furthering the princess’s regret.

“…If that’s all there is, then I understand very well. I have no will to ask or criticize you for any more. I believe that I also understand you feelings. If you had been so inclined, I would’ve liked if you’d invited me as one of your allies.”

“Just- Ikta, what-!?”

Matthew, who had yelled without thinking, might have done better to praise his good sense. Ikta had just now committed two reckless actions. The reckless action of saying that in the presence of royalty, and the reckless action of saying that in the presence of Chamille.

“Even though I say that, I have regrettably delayed your plan. That a man like you would commit such extreme actions, means that you definitely have a detailed, magnificent plan together with several of your allies. Your final objective is either to threaten or to overthrow the cabinet. It’s really disappointing. I don’t know how far you could have gone, but even still if you would have pulled it off, it’d be something that I’d have wanted to see.”

Ikta continued to talk feverishly, and Ison made a puzzled face.

“…Can I, ask one thing, Warrant Officer Solork…?”

“Ask me two or three, however many you’d like. There are no strings attached to the compassion I offer you.”

“…Why were we, caught by you here…?”

Ikta bit his lip. That was a very humble question for one on the brink of death. Why wasn’t it more selfish? This man had the authority to tear down the gods.

“…If that is your wish, then I will speak. First, you tried to kidnap the princess from the vicinity of the northern entrance of the Woodlands. Torway just happened to witness that, but… the timing of the execution wasn’t bad. Since, as you had predicted, our awareness was concentrated on the mock battle.

“If you are fleeing with someone from around the northern entrance, then it’s fastest to come out onto a main road from the west of the Woodlands. The northern entrance is out of the question because Ikta’s group is hiding out there, it is difficult to cut across to the southern entrance, and going to the east, on top of it being a detour, also has the danger of running into someone.

“…Therefore, your escape is from the west. That comes with one condition, though- if you recall the topographic map of that area, then your route is restricted even further. The northwest side of the Southern Urt Woodlands faces the Tahbai Mountain Range. Of course a mountain path crosses through them, but there is no way that people who want to get out on a main road as quickly as possible would do anything like climb a mountain. They would follow the base of the mountain as closely as possible, and go from the first road they come upon to the main one, right? That is right here.”

“…I can, acknowledge that. However, how did Warrant Officer Yatorishino cut us off…?”

That was the part Ison wanted to hear more than anything else. Because, they had aimed for the height of the mock battle when they executed the kidnapping to avoid being pursued after their crime.

“When we realized the possibility that the princess was kidnapped, The four of our troops-mine, Matthew’s, Torway’s, and Haro’s- were at the northern entrance of the Woodlands. There was a high probability that we wouldn't make it in time from there. What I thought then was to send a sound signal to the other troops who were closer to you than we were and have them make haste for the west.”

“…We couldn’t make sense of it, but… that sound really was a signal…”

“Well if it were an Imperial-style signal, then it would also be transmitted to you people. That was a Kioka-style light signal translated into sound. It’s something that I used to use with Yatori since a long time ago when we made mischief during lessons, and I was confident that I could transmit something in just about secrecy with it. Though after that, it was a tossup between whether their marching speed could overcome their time loss…With that, I’ve revealed how we cut you off, but you weren’t able to move at top speed yourselves, were you?”

Ison nodded slightly. The desperate resistance from the members who had not betrayed Her Highness, the Princess, delayed the time of their transition from kidnapping to escaping. In addition to that, the feelings of guilt they had toward the act of kidnapping royalty slowed the feet of the members more than he had imagined.

“…I understand the majority of it. Then, my last question…Warrant Officer Yatorishino’s platoon position was closer to ours, did you know that when you sent the signal? Or did you leave that to luck?”

“That was completely luck-I don’t intend to disappoint you by saying that. I knew.”

“…Why? Warrant Officer Yatorishino’s platoon should have been your enemy’s ally in the mock battle…”

“When I sent that signal, we had just finished the deciding battle at the northern entrance, and the enemy troops had become scattered as they withdrew. At that time, it was a theory that they headed for the ‘universal destination’ they’d previously established among their allies and refocus their forces. …And, I had an idea where the enemy’s ‘universal destination’ would be before the mock battle started.”

In the Southern Urt Woodlands, there aren’t many places in which three platoons numbering 120 people could assemble. The open area in the north was exemplary, but as the location where the confrontation of armies was expected to occur, that would be essentially inviting the enemy to please pursue them. A place with enough space for their entire army to assemble, but hidden so that it’d be difficult for the enemy to find them… in that case, the majority of prospects were unbalanced to the ‘’west or northwest’’ of the Woodlands.

“I couldn’t pin down for sure where it was, but that just that was enough this time. Since because they were at the west or northwest of the Woodlands, Yatori’s platoon was much closer to you than we were in the north. –That is all, there are no more secrets to disclose. Though it’s not much of a souvenir for the underworld.”

Ikta finished speaking without any sense of accomplishment. Captain Ison’s lips slowly curved.

“…Warrant Officer Solork… on the map inside of you, surely, the entirety of your own troops and those of your enemy continue to move in real time based on the rules of ‘possibility,’ right…?”

“…I would like to think so.”

“…I see, is that right? If that’s the case then I accept my loss… It seems that your way of thinking in regards to your tactics, is fundamentally the same as those of Lieutenant General Rikan. …It that really a coincidence…?”

“That’s-“

Not a coincidence- Ikta couldn’t say it. He couldn’t say that it was because Hazaaf Rikan was the great commander who had taken over Bada Sankrei’s role. That even if their times were different, they were comrades who carried in their chests an ideology from the same source- no matter what he couldn’t say it here.

The youth, who was supposed to say what he wanted to say when he wanted to say it, lost all words in the gap between what he wanted to bring to his mouth and what he wanted to keep secret.

“…, Ahh-…”

When Ikta, searching of words and being quiet for a long time, incidentally took notice, Captain Ison was no longer breathing. The youth grit his teeth- even though he said that there were no strings attached to his compassion, ultimately he couldn’t offer any suitable words even at the very end….

“Ik-kun, it’s over. Come, everyone, let’s go back.”

Torway approached his back as he stood dead still, and lightly tapped his shoulder. By reflex, Ikta suddenly nodded. It seemed that, so much that he even wanted to return to that hateful military base, his heart had been exhausted.

“…Securing the accomplices, who are sure to be on the main road…”

“Our opponent’s precise location, there are several…if we don’t know any then it’s difficult. It’s not the work of troops in training.”

“..I guess you’re right. Let’s hurry and go back, and complain about how our food never has any variety. …Ahh, these were a tiring two days. The time when we survived in Kioka was so much better than this.”

By complaining and stretching, Ikta pulled himself together just a little. And, then finally, he looked for a certain someone’s seated blood-spattered figure. Though she had entered his line of sight before then, she hadn’t actually entered his consciousness.

“Ah- Yo, Princess. You’ve reinvented the flashy dress again. …Mm, or did you just magnificently spill tomato sauce on yourself? It’s pret~ty hard to tell, you know.”

Ikta recovered his usual groove. –However, he wasn’t aware of it. Of how much he had ignored the princess’s feelings thus far. Not hearing a single one of the words she wanted him to say to her, and being struck only with words she didn’t want him to say, one wondered just what kind of state she was in right now.

“And by the way, I won’t mention it anywhere else, but I’ll tell you privately in secret…. Princess, right now, you’re really red.”

What am I going to do if this fails?- entirely not worrying about that before he spoke was one of Ikta’s amazing points. And mysteriously, the joke he spit out in extreme situations, they had he strange effect of calming people’s hearts. Well, that being said-.

“Wa….WaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!”

“H-Huh? Wh-Why!?”

“WAAAaaAAAAAHHHHH! Solork-SOLORK YOU MEANIEEE! MEANIEE! WaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!”

There were limits to this magic depending on the situation, the youth learned that here together with great consideration. Be he a genius or a hero, at the very least he was not omniscient.

Concerning the disastrous spectacle following Her Highness, the Princess explosion, it did not remain in records of the countless tragicomedies that were supposed to happen in that time. It was just a short scribble- “five hours until she cried herself out and fell asleep”- in the diary of only one person, Haroma Bekkel, but that might be an understatement of the fierceness of the final battle.

At any rate, among the endlessly tumultuous waters, the curtain closed on the first practice. After they received the report from Ikta and the others after they returned to the center base, several of the High Grade Military Officers who were involved with the body guard selection were fired. All of the perpetrators died, and even in the following investigation the full particulars of Captain Ison’s plan ultimately weren’t made clear.

*

Yatori Igsem, who had upgraded the number of people she killed with her hands from one digit to two in a mere day.

After sleeping for one night, she completely recovered to her former condition, and returned to the base properly commanding her troops on the road back from the practice. Treating her life and death struggle with Captain Ison as a thing of the past and not drawing it out, she even clearly divided her complicated feelings about killing her compatriots between her ethics and responsibility as a soldier without regret.

The strength of her spirit, served to strengthen even further the faith the subordinates in her platoon held in her as a commander.

“….Hss…!”

However, in a part of herself that she didn’t show to her subordinates, there was an aspect of her that had changed. While wielding her two blades in an indoor training ground with no other sign of human life, Yatori was trying to recall the sensation from “that time.” …That, most likely, was because she thought that it was one “predicament.”

The memory of a sword fight carried out in a red haze. Excess thoughts vanishing from her oxygen-deprived mind, the existence called Yatori was purified into the blades she held in her hands. The blades which dashed ahead of her thoughts were shockingly efficient, and human minds might possibly think too much about things to manipulate simple tools such as swords- Yatori was in the process of reaching this unusual philosophic view.

“Myself, in essence a knight; a knight, in essence a sword; a sword, in essence myself-was it? There’s a small part I can’t understand, Father. The reason why the word, “human” isn’t included in that.”

Ending her usual introspection, Yatori sheathed her two swords in the scabbards on her hips. The fire spirit Shia, who had been let down on the floor, watched her condition staring intently from afar, but— exceedingly rare for the reticent partner, he unexpectedly started a conversation with his master himself.

“-Yatori. Do you think that Shia is a flame?”

“…Huh? What nonsense are you saying? Shia is Shia, right? My one and only partner in the world.”

Answering back without hesitation, Yatori walked toward her scene partner and picked up the small body. She made Shia’s deep red head nod slightly.

“Then Shia doesn’t think that Yatori is a sword either.”

“…Thank you. For worrying about me.”

For the partner whose forte wasn’t complex phraseology, that was the best advice he could give. Yatori was grateful from her heart, and honestly accepted his consideration.

“I’m alright, really. I honestly don’t know whether or not I’ll be in that predicament again, but… This time, there was a guy who dragged me down in a second from the heights of my sword which I had finally reached.”

Yatori faintly smiled. …After she cut down all enemies, most people hesitated to call out or get close to her. However, that was not the fear one held for a murderer; rather, was it not an expression of the awe one held for a drawn sword? That had the air of respect—only, held not for a human but for a sharp-edged sword.

Yatori didn’t loathe being seen as a sword. To the contrary, that was exactly what she wanted. Therefore, she truly didn’t harbor any ill will towards the people who couldn’t approach her at that time. That was not only based on reasoning- she completely felt that way based on her emotions as well. That was the refreshing part of the human called Yatori.

However- when she thought of her companion who had walked up to her without wavering at that time and gently disconnected the swords which had bonded to the palms of her hands, there was no small number of things to think about. Warm feelings welled up in her chest.

“As long as I am by Ikta’s side, it doesn’t seem like I’ll be able to completely turn into a sword. …Well, I suppose that’s fine, too. I mean, swords don’t have working mouths, and living on without playing the straight man to his antics is simply impossible for me.”

Yatori left that place with seemingly joking but undoubtedly sincere final words.

*

At the same time, a youth, who not to the same degree as Yatori but nonetheless upgraded the number of people he killed with his hands by one, readied his air shooter in an indoor shooting range.

“…Whoosh…Whoosh…Whoo-!”

The carefully aimed shot pierced through distant, far-off targets one by one. –If he had been the Torway of old, this would have been when he would be conflicted: “Aren’t I doing it wrong? Aren’t I just afraid of the enemy getting close?” The sense of values planted in him like a curse by his older brother Sariha made him do that.

But, he used the real bullets which he habitually carried around as protection for his commander, and by shooting Captain Ison the moment he entered within range, he had saved Yatori’s life as a result- this reality was big for him. The situation which continued to worry him until now, the reality that he had taken a single person’s life, he could thrust it into a corner of his heart.

“…It’s fine this way. Yes, it’s better this way.”

While peering through the sight of his air shooter, Torway came to terms with himself. –His weakness, that “his accuracy rate drops when the target is close,” was quite visible in situations when his target was an animal, and especially when it was a human. In actuality, that was the result of his kind nature.

No matter what, he couldn’t classify a being that was close enough for him to feel its presence as a “target.” That’s why his aim wavered. It’s not as if everyone could live as refreshing a life as Yatori’s, and with the impossibility of that exchange, Torway was more Yatori’s antithesis than anything.

His kindness, which made the index finger wrapped around the trigger weaken when he was in front of an enemy, was of course undoubtedly a defect as a soldier. But, the Torway of the present had found the possibility of complementing it.

“I wonder why I hadn’t realized it. …Until now, we had only thought of distance as an obstacle to shooting. But if you really think about it, isn’t there more merit if there is a greater distance between you and your opponent?”

First, it is difficult for the enemy’s bullets to hit you. Second, it is difficult your position to be discerned by your enemy. And third, due to the first and second reasons, ‘’you can approach shooting with peace of mind’’. Torway thought that any one of them was too precious an advantage to give up. On the contrary, he even imagined that if he reached further with those as merits, ‘’might he not end up establishing a new branch of the army’’?

“…This way of thinking, it will definitely add a new page to the history of “gun warfare.” That is something I’ve always wished to do as a one of the Remeon Family. Of course, that won’t change now. But…”

When his thoughts reached that point, there was something that Torway just couldn’t help but thinking about. It was Ikta’s goal, serving as supreme commander at the time of the mock battle, when he deployed Torway at the river crossing point upstream of the Kuriri River. Officially, his orders were, “when the enemy troops come here, aim at the enemy general and fire from the treetops.” But thinking about it now, ‘’he couldn’t believe that Ikta had estimated there being a high possibility of the leader of the enemy platoon passing through there.’’

“The one which would move to intercept my unit would likely be Yatori-san’s platoon- you had read that from the beginning. In that case, hadn’t you predicted that Yatori would leave her main force at a point midway, and send only scouts upstream?”

Upstream, Torway’s detached force killing of three enemy soldiers hadn’t served to contribute that great of an influence in the grand scheme of the war. If that was that case, then he thought that remaining at the river defense encampment and leading the platoons’ charge would have been much more effective. And that there was no doubt that Ikta had also come to this realization.

“…I wonder if I’m overthinking it…. But, no matter what, I have no choice but to think that your intention in deploying me upstream was to increase my ‘experience in shooting distant enemies.’ At the river defense encampment, after the general offensive had started there wouldn’t have been an opportunity for me to shoot at the enemy while keeping my distance. If Yatori’s intervention had come later then, it wouldn’t have been farfetched for the mock battle to have been settled right there. Therefore…”

Torway, who had stopped shooting and turned his body around, gazed far away at the barracks where they were lodging. First, he murmured his appreciation, and his awe amounting to double the former.

“Hey, Ik-kun…. My weaknesses and my worries, and the things I want to do… Even though until now I haven’t told you once to your face what they were.

Ever since a long time ago, you’ve understood everything, haven’t you…?”

*

Also at the same time, in the lounge of the barracks, Matthew Tetdrich and Haroma Bekkel were playing shogi face to face. Their abilities were on par with each other, and currently Matthew was somehow leading with three wins and two losses. This time, they were also deadlocked in a situation which didn’t allow either one to relax his or her guard, but….

“…Here, with a reverse checkmate, 5-8 Illumination battalion! With this it’s checkmate in three moves! No doubt about it!”

“You noticed that!? Ahh, umm….th-there’s nothing, I’ve lost…”

At Haro’s resignation, the round-faced youth huffed a sigh of relief. Though they were both warrant officers, that she- part of the Medics- fell behind in shogi had something to do with the Tetdrich Family’s reputation.

“And to think that I was the best at Nursing School…. Matthew-san, you’re really good at this, you know. I haven’t properly learned how to deal with established tactics.”

“Well, this is about as good as I am…. It’s frustrating that I can’t brag about winning against you, Haro.”

“All of a sudden you’re kicking the loser while she’s down!? Umm, if you’re going to say that, then please challenge the Big Three! Ah, including Her Highness, the Princess, is it now the Big Four? Anyway, if you can win against any of them, then you can brag a whole lot!”

The term Big Three or Big Four was a ranking of shogi ability of those among the Order of Knights- or more precisely, it was a subdivision. Ikta, Yatori, Torway, Her Highness, Chamille- if those four, their winning rate aside, fought amongst each other, it would become “a true battle.” When the two, Matthew and Haro, fought seriously with them, “the battle was a farce.”

“The Big Four, huh…. Well, if even if the princess is a special case… the rest of them…”

Haro drew her eyebrows at the condition of Matthew, who was grumbling in a low voice while fiddling with a game piece in his hand.

“…Huh? It seems like, you’ve entered a relatively severe downer…?”

“…Not really, this isn’t just limited to shogi, you know. You could say it’s a more universal problem…Even you feel it, don’t you, Haro? How do I put it, with them, umm, that…”

“? Umm…Ah! A difference in status, is it!?”

“That’s right, but you should pay more attention to your slips of the tongue! Ikta, who does it consciously also come to mind, but since you’re a natural airhead saying it without any ill will, I’m stuck on who to take my anger out on!”

“Ah, I-I’m sorry! I have this bad habit that, by the time I notice, my mouth has already rushed ahead, and….”

“I know that from experience, you know…. But, how do I put it? Since we’re both already Warrant Officers in the High Grade Military Officer course and our contest to climb the ranks has started, you need to be less innocent.”

Matthew spoke half shocked and half impressed. Haro tiled her head a little, then gave a wry smile.

“That’s- If you say that kind of thing, it seems like I should be offended, but I don’t really want to climb the ranks or anything, and…. Since with our current wages, I can send an allowance home…”

“Ahh, the way you said that, if I had heard that before the Exam I would have gotten angry. I would have shouted, ‘With an incentive like that, go apply for a different job!’- probably.”

“Ahaha…. Then, Matthew-san do you want to climb the ranks even now? To a general or to General of the Army?”

Beyond doubt Haro thought that he would answer immediately, but strangely Matthew drew his eyebrows and hesitated to respond.

“Eh? M-Matthew-san…?”

“…I want to, you know. I want to climb the ranks. It’s frustrating that it doesn’t feel realistic, but I do want to become a general or the General of the Army. Since that’s why I took the High Grade Military Exam.”

He was a little late, but the answer she imagined did come back and Haro was relieved. However, from that moment, Matthew was somewhat fidgety and had lost his composure, and after five minutes passed he rose from his seat.

“Huh? Where are you going, Matthew-san? There’s still time until dinner, you know.”

“…Whenever I move, it’s necessarily because of my appetite?”

“Ah, um, was I wrong!?”

“…. I’m going to the Library of Military Annals. I want to investigate a little in detail about river defense encampments.”

“Ah, studying tactics? You really are diligent, aren’t you? Please do your best!”

Turning his back to the idiotic encouragement, Matthew left the lounge alone. His gait as he walked the corridor was strong, even rough, and in his round face, his eyes were tinged with the light of determination.

“I haven’t given up yet. Be it shogi, climbing the ranks, or status. I’m too young to be thinking crap like ‘this is my limit.’ There is the saying, great talents mature late. Even if tomorrow isn’t good enough, after one year, after five years, after 10 years- how things will turn out by then, no one knows that.”

Making the soldiers he passed by move aside with his intensity, he was riled up against an opponent who wasn’t there.

“Just watch me, Ikta, Yatori, Torway. I’ll win the next one. If I don’t, then I’ll win the one after. …Count on it- one day, I’ll show you the true power of Matthew Tetdrich!”

*

At the same time as Matthew’s inspiration, Ikta was standing at the north-most point of the center base. Alone in the darkness of night, he was standing still with an expression that told of boredom. He might have been waiting for someone, but his scene partner immediately appeared riding in a carriage.

“Don’t make me wait. Solork, board.”

Making the coachman open the door and seated inside the carriage herself, the princess called out to him. Ikta’s face distorted into a miserable one for an instant, but he entered into the carriage obediently without cracking any jokes.

“Look at your clothing- the collar of your shirt is twisted. There’s also sand stuck to your pants. Brush it off.”

“…Mm…”

“In the first place, your face is slovenly. Even if you can’t help that your looks are mediocre, there is practically none of what you’d call youthful ambition on your face. Even if I introduce this scrawny man as an ‘Imperial Knight,’ it will only be taken as a joke. Do you plan to embarrass me? Correct yourself at once.”

“…Mm…”

“Stiffen your lips more- straighten your spine and face forward. Rather straighten your back! Wear an aura of a gifted person overflowing with wisdom at a young age, express your highly perfect character that’s overflowing with gentlemanliness and chivalry with the color of your eyes! For goodness’ sake can’t you show some spirit without having to rely on the angelic Kusu!”

“Don’t list fundamentally impossible demands! Just how much of an unrivaled, all-rounder gentleman act are you going to demand from me!? Understand that Ikta-kun, no matter how much he dresses up, is still Ikta-kun!”

Ikta lashed back after his considerably unreasonable act, but seeing the princess’s shoulder tremble, he realized his blunder.

“Y-you disobeyed me… You disobeyed my orders… You have no intention of upholding your promise, do you…?”

“No, I do I do, I do intend to! For goodness’ sake, please say whatever you want- if it’s what you want I can straighten my back, see! If you tell me to, then I’ll even fire beams from my eyes!”

“Then cough up your heart from your mouth.”

“That’s telling me to die, isn’t it!? Surely, that wording is taking advantage of my mood right now, isn’t that it is!?”

Her moody saturation attack fatigued Ikta with great vigor. Five minutes after they departed, he had already completely used up all of his willpower and laid his body horizontally on the seat.

“This is tedious, amuse me more! “

“..I can’t give you a reaction anymore… Feel free to boil or burn me…”

“Oh? You said it. Then I’ll insult you as I like. This gutless, sophist, insensible, sex-crazed. ...Umm, uhh…”

“…Your Highness, it appears that your vocabulary is quite meager…”

“A-are you making fun of me?! It’s just that there are few words that describe you well! A-and, there’s one I have in reserve. I thought that if I said it, you’d definitely become angry, so I restrained myself, but if you’re going to say that to me, then I’ll go and say it, too!”

“..Please. If it’s something to do with me, then say whatever…”

“…M-mother complex!”

Compared to how much she hesitated, what she said was anticlimactic. Covering her ears and shrinking in on herself, the princess timidly looked toward Ikta.

“….Y-you’re not angry?”

“No, even if I get angry or whatever, that’s the plain truth so I don’t feel insulted…”

“B-but, when I talked about your mother before this…”

“? …Ahh, you mean right after the conferring of decorations? That was because you, princess, brought up my mother’s name in an unpleasant context. Therefore, please stop insulting my mother. I made a promise, so I won’t get angry, but on the other hand, that’s because I can’t say a single thing back.”

Ikta wove his hand while sleeping. The “promise” that the two of them had been mentioning since earlier, was a bargaining chip which the youth had no choice but to play to make Her Highness quiet down from her grand explosion immediately following the kidnapping. Ikta had already been bound by his promise of, “I’ll listen to whatever you say for one month starting today,” for two weeks.

“…I won’t say anything. If you can’t answer me back, then I’d be troubled.”

She might have been afraid to harm her companion’s mood, but Her Highness, the Princess, suddenly became submissive and sunk into silence. A hush overcame the inside of the carriage. She had no desire at all to do anything about Ikta’s impudence.

“…Solork, please listen. I have something serious to say.”

The quality of her voice changed. She might have attained the mental preparation to break the ice in the silence until now, but the princess’s face was unusually serious. Not having a choice, Ikta also raised his upper body from the seat.

“My inviting you today, it was an invitation to the party taking place in the capital, but this conversation is the main point.”

“…”

“Including the incident of the attempted kidnapping, I have had my life saved by you three separate times. Of course, I am grateful, but… more than that, I feel as though I have no reason to hide anything from you anymore.”

Hearing that introduction, Ikta snorted with a face that said he long been tired of waiting.

“Are you finally going to spill your tiny guts?”

“I don’t think anything good will come of keeping you in suspense. However, postponing it so I could evaluate you was necessary. I didn’t think that it would be over in just a few months, and was prepared to spend an entire year on it, but…”

Ikta stopped the princess, who was getting ready to cut directly to the crux of the matter, with one hand.

“Please wait. Before you go to the main point, there is something I want to ask first.”

“…What’s that?”

“This situation, we’ve been in it before, haven’t we? After the unforgettable conferring of decorations at the Holy White Temple, we boarded a carriage together with you, and exchanged words in private.”

“…So, what about that?”

“So what about that? -don’t give me that. Something that was present then, that isn’t here with us now, right?”

Not allowing the princess to talk her way out, Ikta questioned her clearly.

[[Image:Alderamin v01 323.png|thumb| Ikta’s black eyes glared at his companion as if gauging her. The princess gulped loudly, and opened her heavy mouth.]] “Hey, Your Highness, why didn’t you invite Yatori here, too? If you’re saying that you have no reason to hide anything anymore because your life was saved, then no matter how I think about it, she should have been invited too. In other words, the one among us who most demonstrated her loyalty to you, is beyond doubt Yatori. Don’t tell me that you’ve forgotten that image.”

Remembering the image of Yatori as she stood motionless in a sea of blood with two blades in hand, Her Highness the Princess bit her lip looking ashamed.

“…That’s right, Yatori is a loyal soldier in the true sense. I learned of that firsthand during that incident. …However, for that very reason, I can’t invite her to this place.”

“I’m unfit to be a loyal soldier or something, so you want to have me assist you? So that’s it, I’m satisfied.”

Ikta lashed out with cruel sarcasm. The princess shook her head sideways with her face on the verge of tears.

“You’re wrong, that’s not it…! That you’re a talented person turned to dirty work or anything, I haven’t thought that even once! Rather it’s the opposite- you have purity of a kind other than Yatori’s! That’s what I…!”

“Well, it’s fine. I’m a human who just says what he wants to say one after the other. But, for some reason, it seems that there’s a part of me that Your Highness has bought. Let me hear your question.”

Ikta’s black eyes glared at his companion as if gauging her. The princess gulped loudly, and opened her heavy mouth.

“…You. What do you think of the current state of the Katjvarna Empire?”

“It’s in the latter half of its decline. If I put it simply.”

“That’s quite harsh. However, I completely agree. …Compared to its golden age over 100 years ago, our industry is running down over-all, our national power is weakening, and yet, out of balance, only our military power has been on the rise. And as the Empire has become thin and weak, the neighboring Kioka Republic has emerged and prospered.”

“The Kioka Republic has been handling both its internal and diplomatic affairs quite well. At the very least, the Empire’s cabinet is currently using its damned foolishness perfectly. The one who let Kioka, a small country which had originally seceded from the Empire, which had been no more than a small, weak country neighboring a powerful one, flourish thus far is in one sense the Empire itself.”

The princess put Ikta’s reasons for only making that judgment into words.

“’The definition of the government in the Katjvarna Empire is to compensate for the failures of the Cabinet through war.’”

“That’s a nice summary. Yes, that’s exactly right. If you recall the incident at the Eastern Stronghold before this, it’s easy to understand using that as an example. The Cabinet pushed their failure, ‘failure in pioneering,’ onto Kioka through some military tricks, the ‘apparent defeat.’ …So to speak, in this country, ‘’it’s as if all of the debt ultimately circles around to the army.’’”

“Yes. You might even call that their overarching principle… That’s exactly why soldiers are valued in this country. Because they take on the responsibility of the political failures perpetrated by the Imperial Family, and bear the role of settling wars.”

“For the Imperial Family, the Imperial Army is a convenient trash can that will automatically incinerate the garbage they throw into it. With this setup, statesmen don’t have to take responsibility for the policies they enacted themselves. That’s why it’s corrupted. It’s become so that whatever they do, they think that war will resolve it for them. The Cabinet had become a den of thieves for influential aristocrats who have nothing in their head except laying down commoners’ clothing, and, making the emperor into a figurehead, growing old while not carrying out any of their responsibilities as leaders.”

The princess nodded sharply. Scorn and hatred towards her biological father surfaced in her eyes.

“The current emperor- the human known as Emperor Arshankrut Kitora Katjvanmaninik, if he should completely cast off that emperor’s crown, he would be nobody. He was just a depraved, dimwitted, and hot-tempered man. He might not have been that way at the beginning, but a life of addiction to wine and women corroded him from the marrow of his bones. Just by thinking that I’m the daughter of such a man, I start to feel sick, as if all of my blood is being corrupted…”

“That’s not scientific. If there’s just any part of a person that’s corrupted while he or she is alive, that would be not the blood, but the mind.”

Ikta finished speaking lightly, and the princess smiled at his refreshing humor.

“You haven’t even met him, yet you say the same things…. No matter I express my thanks, I can’t make you understand how much those words have lightened my heart…”

“Well, but that’s not my accomplishment, it’s that of science, see?”

“You didn’t have to reject my thanks just then…. In any case, under the assumption that the Cabinet of the Katjvarna Empire is severely rotten, I would like to request your assistance.”

At that point, Her Highness, Chamille, took a breath and started speaking after correcting her posture.

“Ikta Solork. –You, as a soldier, will ascend to the top of the Imperial Army.”

“…”

“I know that this isn’t something you want to do. However, I won’t allow you to say that you can’t. You have good instinct of military affairs- ‘’An overwhelming instinct’’ at that.”

The princess deliberately refrained from putting any more of her evaluation into words. Since the fact that she was currently alive and breathing here was due more to the extraordinary quality of Ikta’s abilities than anything.

He broke through the national border with his wits, led a captain on active duty by the nose through novel tactics, and foiled an attempted kidnapping by veteran soldiers by “reading” their higher dimensions of tactics. If a track record like this one didn’t promise future distinction, then just how should people measure someone’s ability?

“…That’s absurd. This example ignores the current state of affairs at this time, but hypothetically if I keep rising until I become General of the Army, what would I do after that? You’re not ordering me to stage a coup d'état against the Imperial Family, are you? In addition to soldier, nobleman, and hero, presenting me even with the honor of being ‘dictator,’ you’re really too generous.”

“No, we’re not staging a coup d'état. I dislike dictators, and even if that succeeded, the interior of the Empire will end up as a political grey area. There’s no way that the Kioka of present would let that prime opportunity pass.”

“In any case, it seems you are slightly aware of reality. Then, please tell me, what would you make me do once I’ve climbed the ladder?”

“’’I will have you lose a war.’’”

The princess’s immediate reply made Ikta stiffen for the first time. –This girl, what did she say just now?

“You will become a captain or General of the Army and command all of the forces of the Imperial Army, then having done that you will see to a decisive ‘’defeat’’ in the war with Kioka. Absolutely not a victory- this must be a defeat. Why, because even if you are victorious, the Empire is already so organizationally weak that it’s impossible for it to rebuild itself as a nation.”

That instant, Ikta felt as if lighting had come down into his head. Among the shocks he received since his time as an apprentice to Anarai Khan, this paradigm shift<ref>written as: 認識転換 (change in awareness); read as: パラダイムシフト(paradigm shift)</ref> that had a considerably dynamic effect in life.

“…Your Highness. Basically, with a lost war-“

“Yes, we will save this country with a lost war. To say it more precisely, by means of the losing battle, the Kioka Republic’s culture, economics, political philosophy- we will use the external pressure of all I mentioned to purify the Empire.

You might be hearing an impossible idea. Certainly, there has yet to be a country that has done this knowingly. However, historically there have been several precedents where countries have flourished as a result of a lost war. Which is why I can say that is a plausible method.”

Ikta couldn’t do anything but stare in mute amazement. …Certainly, like that very incident with Lieutenant General Hazaaf Rikan had been, there were examples of small military defeats being used for political purposes in the Empire until now. But in the end, since those were limited to tactical and local defeats, ultimate victory was the hypothetical sacrificial pawn. In a manner of speaking, it was like abandoning your own rook in shogi and going for the enemy king.

However, Her Highness, the Princess’s idea was different. That was an attempt at abandoning a victory on the surface of the board and trying to find a chance for victory off the board. Even in a normal war, strategy is in a higher dimension than tactics, and that structure approved of local defeats, but this princess, by placing politics in a higher dimension than strategy, was allowing even an ultimate defeat. She believed that the decisive defeat, which was an ‘’enormous sacrificial pawn’’, would lead to victories in the distant future in regards to politics.

“…What do you plan to do about the Empire’s native culture and nationality?! The treatment of the losing country is one of the things prescribed to the winning country, you know! When it comes to that, the Empire itself will become infinitely weak during its restoration!”

“Certainly that is true, but that is in the situation we should completely lose in war. If we meet defeat with plenty of reserve strength remaining, it would be possible to limit intervention from Kioka in the context of our military power. And Solork- what I want to request from you is exactly that.”

“I-I can’t win the war, and I can’t lose the war without leaving enough strength for afterwards either? In other words, I-“

“’’Lose skillfully’’, Solork. For the sake of purifying the interior of the Empire, you will bring about a defeat that leaves a perfect amount of reserve strength so that the external pressure is increased moderately, and so that we can limit the interference from Kioka even after we lose.

You are the only one who can take on this role. It’s not just a question about plain military ability- Ikta Solork, your spirituality, detested by soldiers, nobles, and royalty alike, is essential. For example even if Yatori has the same ability as you do, I can’t entrust her with this role. She is a soldier by nature. Her genuine desire to shoot down the enemy and protect her country will never change. The very idea of using a lost war to benefit the country is sadly inconsistent with her way of life.”

Ikta felt goosebumps rise throughout his body. –Uncommon. In this age, in this country, Her Highness, the Princess’s idea was very uncommon. But in a way, it was adjacent to the Empire’s corruption. Because, even the princess’s plan to ”save the country with a lost war” was in essence the same thing as the Empire’s abnormal political inclination towards “actions that compensate for the failures of the Cabinet with a lost war.”

“This body is no more than a figurehead princess who owns not even a piece of this territory. I currently don’t have the official authority to interfere with politics or the army. That is something I must have you obtain. The only thing I can do is lay the groundwork. Truthfully, we have no flexibility in terms of time. –Seeing as the reigning emperor, who continues his decadent lifestyle, is getting weaker by the day, we don’t know when he will succumb to illness. It likely won’t even be 10 years. Five years or six years, it might be much shorter than that…. If it comes to that, the parasites nesting in the Cabinet will support you Knights as candidates for Emperor, and it isn’t difficult to imagine that that they will incite a violent civil war. Since even that one thing is a difficult national crisis to overcome, Kioka might also take our political chaos as a good opportunity and come at us with a full-fledged attack. We will be attacked with a threat from the outside…Before that happens, you must rush to the top of the army.”

Be it five years or be it six years, Ikta would still be in his early twenties. There was no precedent of a captain of General of the Army that young in the Imperial Army. Rather, no one would object if someone were to pronounce it impossible.

In spite of that, the princess was telling him to do it. She firmly believed that it was possible for the youth before her eyes. Ikta grit his teeth. For him, creating this one-sided faith was a mistake he could never stop regretting.

“…Your Highness…you… where did you get that idea? In the Empire, no matter how twisted your mind is, it isn’t a motif that comes up. Say that there is ground that will nourish a reversal of that sort of thinking, that’s not in the Empire but in-“

She couldn’t possibly- this epiphany came down onto Ikta. The princess affirmed it with an immediate reply.
“Yes. It’s something that’s hidden from the citizens, but I’ve lived on Kioka soil for the months and years from when I was three to when I was 11 years old. To guarantee the cease-fire conditions between both countries, I was given to them as a political hostage.”

“…! …That motif, it’s an amalgamation of Imperial and Kiokan styles?!”

Her Highness, Chamille brought her face close to Ikta’s, who was staring at her dumbfounded, so that their noses were almost touching. And, she filled her next words with the all of the determination that she accumulated in her not very long lifetime.

“Crush the long-cherished desire of soldiers underfoot, throw off your allegiance to the Imperial Family, betray every last bit of the trust you’ve received as a hero with that single defeat. –What do you say? There is no greater nor more fateful casting for you- who hates everything to do with soldiers, the Imperial Family, and heroes- than the one I am offering you!”

“……!”

“Be troubled no more, Ikta Solork, fight together with me until we lose! At any rate, can a twisted person like you ever go to the heaven spoken of by the Church of Alderah!? Then, let accompanying me to the depths of hell and leaving it be the same thing! I have already determined to be your partner on the road to Hades- I won’t start to complain now!”

This theatrical persuasion threw all logic to the wind, but Ikta gave no objection from his seat. The moment he couldn’t reject the princess’s plan as “worthless,” he’d probably already been caught by destiny.

Thus, the story began in the true sense of the word. “The skilled manager of the invincible status quo” Ikta Solork, and “the last princess of the Katjvarna Empire” Chamille Kitora Katjvanmaninik. These two lined up together and ran at full speed toward the next battle of their promised defeat.

<noinclude>
==Translator's Notes and References==
<references/>

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| Back to [[Tenkyou no Alderamin:Volume 1 Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
| Return to [[Tenkyou no Alderamin|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Tenkyou no Alderamin:Volume 1 Epilogue|Epilogue]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

This title is too long!:Volume1 Chapter3

2015-07-07T22:22:01Z

Chocolatkey: /* Part 2 */

==Chapter 3 - April 24, I told her==

===Part 1===

‎I'm a High School Boy and a Bestselling Light Novel author, strangled by my female classmate who is my junior and a voice actress.

This is my current predicament.

My neck was still choked by Nitadori's icy hands.

My mind was dyed a complete black.

I did not feel any suffering. No pain at all.

That one single Nitadori's tear finally landed on my cheek.

However, another 7 of them remained in mid-air as time slowly trekked back.

From a moment back, the times and memories I had knowing Nitadori raced by in my mind at a blinding speed. I recalled what we did and what we said, and they were so clear it was terrifying.

I understood.

This was the so-called 'near-death experience'.

The first time I saw one.

===Part 2===

"Now then, can we continue on from the previous week, sensei?"

April 25th, the evening of the 4th Thursday this month. (TN: I guess it should be 24th.)

The weather was clear since early morning. I took the Limited Express as usual, and secured that familiar seat.

It was approximately 2 minutes till the train departed punctually when Nitadori came over from the back of the carriage.

I didn't see her on the platform on this day, so I started to worry if she was going to reach the station later.

But even so, her hand was not holding any luggage, instead holding a convenience store bag.

On this day, she again bought 2 bags of the sea salt potato chips that I like (and her too), with many more PET bottles as compared to normal.

Whenever I ate any of those, I would have to answer her questions.

 

On the prior Friday,

The After Record of 'Vice Versa' ended without a hitch.

And Meek, whom Nitadori voiced, still had no speaking lines—

Nitadori arrived at the booth before I did, and greeted the senior voice actors countless times.

 

School life beginning from Monday was no different from usual.

Neither of us would talk to each other at school.

Or rather, I would say that I was unable to communicate with any of my classmates.

Everyone viewed me as an upperclassman (though that certainly is the case), and for quite some time, whenever they had to talk to me, they would naturally use formal language.

I was the only one isolated in class—

That would be what I had assumed, but that wasn't the case.

There were another two who never spoke to anyone else in the class.

And with that, were the three of us, known as 'the lonely trio' (such a strange term), able to be good friends? Actually, that didn't happen, and probably will never happen.

In contrast, Nitadori's a perfectly normal student with no issues at all.

She's a rookie, but it seemed nobody knew about the fact that she's a voice actress. Perhaps this is because she never had any named characters, so her fame was rather low, I suppose. This situation might change once 'Vice Versa' airs in July.

But I again learned something about her.

Nitadori would never take physical education lessons.

 

It happened two days ago, on Tuesday,

There was a sudden rain, and the boys' PE class had to be changed to the gym.

The girls were playing volleyball over there (and they were furious when the boys came to join them), yet Nitadori was sitting in a corner of the gym, dressed in uniform.

I thought it would be just that she didn't take part in PE classes on that day, but I was mistaken.

During the later 4th period, we were seated in the classroom, waiting for the teacher, only to be notified that it was a self-study period.

I decided to head to the library to read some books alone, but just when I intended to stand up, several girls, who were probably on good terms with Nitadori (probably), started chatting about the gym class from before,

"I really hate having to go to PE. Ahh, I'm really envious of you here, Eri..."

And one of them grumbled,

"It's good, right? but even I want to do some swimming in the pool during the summer!"

Nitadori cheerfully answered.

"Hm, you're right. There are certain situations when I like it."

And that girl easily retracted what she just said.

I immediately left the classroom upon hearing that, so I wasn't certain as to what they were talking about afterwards. However, I did ascertain that Nitadori never attended any PE classes.

I didn't know the reason.

I wanted to ask her this question on the train, and I hoped she would introduce me to more of the voice acting industry.

"Last week, I learned that you learned 'how to create stories' when you were younger! Please tell me what's next."

I thought that once Nitadori was satisfied with my answers, I would ask her.

 

It was probably 3 and a half years ago.

During the Autumn of 8th grade, I understood that the one imperative element in writing a story was not the setting, but the story.

And from then on, I focused on constructing stories every day, writing them down.

For the first time, I had a Word document file called 'story ideas' in my computer. Soon afterwards, I continued to accumulate works and added many more files, like,

<strong>"A romance story of an alien college student hitchhiking a ride."</strong>

<strong>"Serial murders in a summer village. The culprit's the grandmother."</strong>

<strong>"My classmate's a helicopter."</strong>

<strong>"The story of survival after a luxury cruise was shipwrecked."</strong>

<strong>"My grandfather's actually my little sister."</strong>

And so, I created more files.

Afterwards, a folder to store these files was born,

<strong>"Story ideas folder"</strong>

 

I felt that the technical issues of how to create a story, how to enrich a story—

And also, how to continue writing or did I continue to write did not fit what the question was asking for. It would have taken me a long time to answer too, so I chose not to answer them.

Thus, I neglected the explanations of those parts, and told her that a certain file was created at the end of November, right when Winter was about to start.

That file was known as—

<strong>"Someone becoming an immortal after heading into another world."</strong>

 

"Ohh! It's 'Vice Versa'!"

Nitadori squealed with an extremely excited voice.

It's a good thing that the train just departed, and there were only a few characters, but the situation was really dangerous.

"Sorry...sorry..."

Nitadori lowered her shoulders slightly.

And then, she immediately puffed her chest,

"Well, you actually came up with such a story quite a while back! Now it's becoming an anime that's going to be aired in July! That's really amazing!"

I'm really happy that she's praising me like this, and really grateful that she actually made a recap of my journey.

Because when I thought of that story—

Various things happened—

It's really because a lot of things happened that I became this current me.

However, I'm not the type to say "wahaha! How about that? I'm amazing here, right?" or something, so I tweaked the topic a little at this moment.

"But I only finished my contest entry during April the following year, so I had about 6 months to write everything from top to bottom."

"Well...you registered your entry during April...so if you started from back then, was that the first novel you actually completed in your life, sensei? The first one you used to participate in the contest?"

"Yeah."

"You're really amazing after all...now then, please tell me your history till the following April, sensei."

 

On a certain day, the story that would form the basis of 'Vice Versa' later on was born, and was growing exponentially.

Amongst all the story ideas that I came up with, that was the one that expanded fastest.

The protagonist was transported to the other world, gained an immortal body, and provided quite the contribution, only to return back to his original world in the end.

That was the story at first, but I continued to add in all kinds of elements.

Some of them were added in later on when I actually began to write—

As for the ploy for the two protagonists with similar looks and names to be body doubles, and that the enemy general was a girl, and that the other guy to pass through when the original returned back to his world, I remember it just came out continually once I established my file. I was so amped up that I was tapping furiously at the keyboard.

I managed to come up with the flow of the story successfully, and thinking about it, the twists were very obvious, but I didn't think too much about it back then. I continued to write all sorts of plots with the protagonist Shin as the center.

I didn't have a habit of writing diary entries (and only began to do so once my debut was confirmed), so unfortunately, I couldn't remember exactly when I thought of which elements.

Finally—

The story of 'Vice Versa' was completed.

 

"That's amazing! And from then? Were you able to write?"

"..."

"Sensei?"

"About that—"

 

Once the story of 'Vice Versa' was completed, I thought.

<em>I can write this! I 'just' have to get down writing!</em>

<em>The story didn't have to be long, I can finish it off within 2 weeks or so, right?</em>

That was what I estimated.

If I could write 20 pages of a pocket book format, I would be able to write 280 pages in 14 days.

<em>What, I can finish it within this year!</em>

<em>No, by the end of the first half of this month?</em>

<em>Maybe I can write something else in the latter half of the month?</em>

 

"Thinking back about it...I guess I really was foolish back then..."

I really was very regretful when I recalled the situation back then.

"Anyone would have some unforgivable past, and they will continue to grow with such a past. Even bitter food will become part of flesh and blood, no?"

Nitadori came up with an impressively dramatic line in her impressively dramatic act.

<em>A pro voice actor's acting really amazing. I get to hear this performance for free!</em> I thought.

And so, Nitadori said,

"You couldn't write?"

"Yeah."

I couldn't write at all.

 

There was once when I couldn't think of the story.

And I barely managed to overcome that issue.

There were some differences in the details of the original story and what was published, but I did manage to finish the story.

Now then, what exactly could I not write?

I couldn't write the story itself.

 

"You couldn't write the story, so in other words...you couldn't write the entire novel, right?"

I nodded firmly, and answered,

"The story was completed, and I managed the settings of the protagonists. However, I just couldn't write. I didn't know how to express the content into words."

"Is this what they call the 'writing bottleneck'?"

After hearing this question, I shook my head, answering,

"I think that's a term used when someone usually capable of writing is not in an ideal state when writing."

"Oh, I see."

"My situation's that I couldn't write anything at all—for example, when I'm writing a story, and I don't know what to write, I'm like a person standing on the soccer field without knowing the rules for soccer."

"Ah, yeah, I can vividly imagine that sort of situation. I don't know soccer rules at all, so I'll be left at a loss wondering what I'm to do. The only thing I know is that I can't use my hands."

"But you probably know that you can score by kicking the ball into the net, right? I didn't know about such a thing at all. And then, I finally understood."

"Yes yes."

"I remembered all the soccer rules, and understood that I have to play the ball with my feet and work together with my teammates, prevent the ball from being taken by the opponent, and kick the ball into the net. 'Okay, now let's just kick the ball into the net! I can play soccer now!' That was exactly what I thought, but in fact, I could only stand still there, unable to move at all. I didn't know how to dribble the ball at all."

"In other words—'you didn't know how to kick the ball, right?"

"Yeah. Even if I did understand all the rules—I still can't play soccer if I can't kick the ball. I felt that the me unable to write an essay was like a player who couldn't kick a ball."

"I see. I can imagine such a situation...then...how did the situation change afterwards? You did submit for competition before it got published, so you did write it out after all, right? You were able to write it all out, am I correct?"

I continued to sip the tea as I nodded,

"So did anyone teach you that?"

I sealed the PET bottle, and shook my head,

"Then?"

Nitadori gave me a skeptical look, and I in response quickly inhaled,

"I just kept on struggling."

 

This was the reason why I said I suffered most in the second trimester of my 8th grade.

I couldn't write an essay at all, yet I just continued to write—I could say that every single day was literally a 'struggle'.

It was to be expected that I couldn't write a novel at all, for I never did write a novel before.

Then, there was no other choice but to keep practicing.

How was I to practice?

I wondered. Since I had the story, I just had to get down to writing it.

In other words,

"I can't write a novel essay."

↓

"I got no choice but to keep practicing."

↓

"How about I continue to practice by writing novel essays?"

Theoretically, that was truly a grave mistake.

However, I accepted the challenge.

While the word 'challenge' sounded cool, I in fact was beaten, battered and bruised all over, aching everywhere.

I kept writing and erasing, and repeating it; advancing when I felt I could write something, only to sink into a mire again.

I merely managed to write a half-baked story, yet the lack of progress left me very angsty.

There were a few times when I really thought of giving up.

<em>"I guess it's impossible for me to write a novel."</em>

I often had this notion. If I had admitted that, I would have been relieved.

 

"So why didn't you give up in the end?"

Nitadori asked with the gentlest tone and expression till this point.

Why was that?

First,

"I finally managed to get this laptop here, you know?"

I probably had such a feeling here.

Mom bought a laptop, and I could use it freely.

I managed to obtain a weapon, and yet I wanted to run away from a battle?

However, I felt that was definitely not the primary reason.

I had a languid personality. It would not be out of character of me if I were to slowly wave my hands,

"Now's not the time to panic."

And say such words, convincing myself to write the story before I grew up to escape the pain and struggles.

"I want to change the past me! I want to live my life anew!"

I did certainly have such feelings. I didn't feel any dissatisfaction with regards to my Middle School life.

"I've already began! I'll regret it if I'm going to run away now!"

And surely there was no way I had such feelings.

I really was not a feisty, competitive person.

 

To answer Nitadori's question, I tried to focus and recall the situation back then.

"Sorry, I don't know."

But that was all I could only answer. I then added on,

"Though I'm thinking about it now...back then, I just thought that I was really suffering, but I guess I was really happy...? No, I guess now. 'Recalling that I was really happy' here is completely different from being 'really happy'..."

I didn't manage to answer Nitadori's question,

"..."

But she nodded on wordlessly.

I began to write.

I continued to write 'Vice Versa' with my pathetic writing.

I thought that since it was repeated practice, it was fine for me to just keep writing a jumble out of the mess.

Time-wise, I began writing from the beginning of December, and devoted all my non-studying time on this. Thanks to that, I had my reading time drastically reduced.

After that, it came to a certain day in Winter vacation,

"Eh? Did my writing speed increase?"

I thought.

That was something that happened when I spent the entire day writing during the vacations.

I gathered my concentration and tapped at the keyboard for approximately 2 hours; I was taken aback once I counted the number of pages I wrote during this time. I didn't expect myself to have written so many pages unwittingly.

 

"That happened a long time back, so this is the only conclusion I could make...anyway, thanks to me practicing how to write, I felt that my writing ability improved exponentially. No, wait—"

At this moment, I corrected myself.

"I'm not too sure of the meaning of the words 'writing ability'. I don't know how to appraise the quality of an essay. Is it better for me to write a story with beautiful prose? Or to write a story that's easy to understand?"

Nitadori continue to listen silently.

"So I hope that you'll understand what I mean by 'improved writing ability' as 'writing ability has reached a decent stage'. However, I'm not too certain as to consider how 'decent' is like..."

My thoughts lacked concisely, and the more I talked, the more I felt I was mired in a swamp.

"Erm, well, in other words...I just ended up being increasingly able to write essays."

That was the one I firmly decided.

To be honest, I really felt that my explanation was crude and lacking explanatory,

"It's really easy to understand though."

But Nitadori told me this. <em>Is that so?</em> I wondered, but I didn't voice my thoughts out.

"Isn't it the same for acting? There isn't anyone who'll have their acting skills improve so suddenly. If there are people who think that my acting skills have improved, it's probably just because I haven't met that person for a long time. It's a skill that requires continual practice every day, accumulation and gradual improvement. Isn't it the same with learning musical instruments?"

"Ah...if only I did come up with such an example. Yes, it's like learning musical instruments."

"Ahaha. I guess it's like 'learning how to speak a foreign language because you're abandoned in a foreign country, right?"

"Yes yes yes."

"And also like 'learning how to swim when you're drowning', right?"

"Please let me use this one the next time."

 

I hydrated my throat by drinking some tea.

Before continuing on, I decided to head to the toilet first.

I had to ask Nitadori to stand up to get to the aisle, as she was seated next to it. Though apologetic, I was left with no other choice, for I was already terrified thinking about letting a girl pull her knees in to let me through.

And I nodded slightly at her, who stood up for me,

"Thanks."

"Don't mind."

My bespectacled classmate stood up, saying,

"I still have lots of things to ask when you come back. Don't run away."

"From the inside of a still moving train?"

"You'll definitely be able to do it, sensei. Be confident in yourself!"

I originally wanted to retort her, <em>what do you think authors are?</em> but if I were to respond, I got the feeling that she would continue on, and so I gave up.

The toilet was at the entrance of the next carriage car, right behind the automatic doors behind me.

Once I was done, I washed my hands, wondering where did I stop at, and returned to my seat.

"Sorry."

"It's fine! You didn't run away."

And then, I troubled Nitadori again by asking her to stand up and let me through.

"So you found that your writing ability became rather decent during winter break in your 8th grade. What kind of story happened during the 4 months until the registration.

Nitadori asked with an outstanding voice of intonation, like the narration of a TV commentator. I guess this is to be expected of a professional voice actress.

Moved by such an excitable tone, I began to delude, hoping that I could write a story of a high school girl like Nitadori debutting as a voice actress. What kind of a story will that be?

"Hello, sensei?"

I was dragged back to reality.

"Ah, yes. Erm, we're starting from the winter break in 8th grade, right?"

 

I was writing 'Vice Versa' the entire time during winter break.

Of course, I did do my homework and eat my meals. Other than that, I spent most of my time locked at home, sitting in front of the laptop.

Once New Year passed, and the Winter break was about to end, how much of 'Vice Versa' did I managed to complete after 1 month of working?

"Did you complete all of it?"

"Impossible."

"Half of it?"

"No."

"...One quarter?"

"About there. That's the part when Sin saved Shin and brought him to the palace, right at the moment when Shin saw Ema and was surprised the little sister resembled him too."

"..."

In terms of plot twists in 'Vice Versa', this would be where the developing ended, and the changing began.

Nitadori was quietly surprised by it, but I felt back then that such progress was a lot.

When the 3rd trimester began in 8th grade, I naturally didn't have as much time to write as the vacation, but I just continued to write.

I continued to revise my initial manuscript as I edited them. For a new work, the writing speed was rather ideal.

At that moment, I started to feel vexed.

<em>What do I do after I'm done writing the novel?</em>

"'What do I do', as in submitting an entry for the contest?"

"Yes."

"Eh? You didn't write it because you wanted to participate in the Dengeki Novel Prize?"

Nitadori again exclaimed in surprise,

"No, not at all."

I shook my head.

"To be honest—"

I never intended to submit the story as an entry.

Despite only completing a quarter of 'Vice Versa' till that point, I intended to do my best and complete the work since I was able to write it out.

I had yet to decide what I wanted to do later on.

 

"You should take part in the contest! —Hey, wait? It's over already, isn't it...?"

Nitadori was a little amusing.

"Now then, why did you take part? And why did you choose Dengeki?"

Finally, I was about to face the final question of the many questions she posed me the previous week.

"First, regarding the issue of whether I was to register for a Newcomer award...to be honest, I really wasn't very interested in it.:"

"Why?"

"I probably was a little timid. Submitting an entry for the entry would have meant I would be aiming to be an author."

I answered. I glanced to the right, and found Nitadori giving me a mystified look.

"Well, that was really the case. I don't suppose there aren't many people who'll think 'I don't want to publish a book' after winning an award. But I don't think you have any need to be timid there...? Why were you?"

"Back then, I really considered the issue of 'can a Middle School student really take part in the contest'? I was thinking if a brat like me could take part in this contest where people from all walks of life would aim to be professional authors and do their best to complete their masterpieces. Such a contest should be for people 'more mature' to take part in, right?"

I answered honestly. That was what I sincerely thought back then.

Nitadori probably wasn't able to understand these words.

"Hm..."

And she let out a groan.

I heard that voice actors could only get jobs based on a strict selection, and no matter the age, they would have to go through such a competitive environment. It was to be expected that she couldn't understand.

"Thinking back, I understand very well now that there wasn't any need for me to think that way. I was still a brat more than 3 years ago however..."

Even till now, I don't think that I've become an adult.

And Nitadori asked with a sharp look, ostensibly probing into my heart.

"You liked books so much, and worked hard to learn how to write a novel, but you never thought 'I want to be an author in the future', did you?"

"If it's whether I did have such thoughts, I'll say that I did have such thoughts. If it's whether I didn't have such thoughts, I'll say that I didn't have such thoughts."

"Okay sensei."

Nitadori raised her right hand, asking,

"I don't understand what you mean at all."

"Erm...that was what I thought, 'I really admire novelists, but it's impossible for me to be like them!'."

"..."

"I read many books in the past, and I was moved by them...but till now, I still feel that the authors who could write such works were really amazing! Well, that was what I thought."

"I understand that very well. Right now, I do think that you're really amazing, sensei."

"T-thanks...anyway, as a Middle School student, I didn't think I could be such an amazing person at all, and I thought that registering for the Newcomer award and aiming for a prize was way above my head."

"I see..."

Nitadori answered. I suppose she really couldn't understand how I felt exactly back then."

"But you did change your mind at a certain time, right? if not—"

"I wouldn't be here."

Once I answered this, Nitadori smiled, saying,

"Same here."

And,

"Then...did anyone convince you to take part in the contest? Or did someone see your novel and encourage you by saying 'this is really interesting! You should be an author!'?"

After hearing this question, I shook my head affirmatively, saying,

"I never did show anyone 'Vice Versa' before it was submitted for the contest. In fact, mom was the only one in this world who knew that I was writing a novel, but even she never read it."

"But...I don't understand! Why exactly did you submit it to Dengeki Bunko?"

Nitadori gave up.

To answer her, I inhaled and pondered. <em>Ahh, she'll probably be shocked to hear these words</em>

"Because the deadline was in April."

"What?"

"The annual submission deadline for the Dengeki Novel Prize is April 10th. After looking at the calendar, I started to think, <em>Maybe I should complete 'Vice Versa' before then, and if I can finish it before then, let's try submitting it for a contest. You see, it really was a great opportunity for me to see if I could complete my work, and there was the entire Spring break before the submission deadline when I could spend entire days writing.</em>

"..."

Nitadori again went silent.

I personally felt this was awkward too, but I had no other choice as that was the real reason.

"Erm, then...you never thought that 'Dengeki Bunko is the largest light novel publisher' or something?"

"I knew that, and to be precise, 'the submission deadline for Dengeki Bunko just so happened to fit my aims'. I had the thought that the readers of 'Vice Versa' should be light novel readers when I worked on it."

"So, to summarize, you had the delusional dreams of an author, and the time of completion just so happened to be the deadline of a Newcomer award—"

I nodded on. Nitadori continued,

"You tried submitting an entry to test your abilities, and sent it to the largest, probably the most competitive publishing company in the industry."

I nodded on.

"And the outcome's that you debuted with a work you created in 8th grade, and now a high school student and an author, your work so successful it can be made into an anime."

I nodded on.

"..."

While looking back at a stunned Nitadori, I pondered,

<em>The wheel of fate turns so unexpectedly</em>

 

Getting back to the time when I decided on submitting an entry.

It really was a great opportunity, no matter the reason, to have a deadline.

My passion for writing became stronger than ever.

The essays were a little easier to write, but there were often times where I would pause and ponder about the plot, write and stop, rinse and repeat.

My aim was not to be an author, but to complete the first ever novel I wrote in my life 'Vice Versa'.

And then I would submit it to the Dengeki Novel Prize.

 

To soothe my parched throat, I opened a new bottle of tea.

"You did manage to meet the deadline, but it was still really tough on you, wasn't it?"

<em>Of course!</em>

I nodded while drinking. It's really hard to drink like this.

Once I move my mouth away, I again answered,

"Of course! I was writing during the entire 3rd trimester in 8th grade, except for the period before the exams."

I was really busy back then, but I sealed my computer right before the exams, like how club activities were suspended for a week. Mom would most probably have forbade me from writing if my grades were to slip dramatically.

"I see...you were able to make it after all..."

"Yeah. My progress was about half when I entered Spring Break...and I only managed to write half the story after 2 and a half months. I had to finish the rest of it in the following 1 month."

"But you managed it."

"I really was spending the entire time writing from morning to night. But inexplicably, the second half was easier than the first half. No, I guess this isn't something strange. I did get used to writing after all."

I quipped,

"Also, with the entire story completed, I was looking forward to the climax in the second half. I really wanted to quickly get to the part where Shin kept escaping and finally decided to fight, and also the part where Pluto's gender was revealed!"

"..."

Nitadori merely started back at me.

"Ah, sorry. I got too excited there, I guess..."

I then apologized, but it seemed I was mistaken,

"No."

Nitadori smiled, shaking her head slightly. And then,

"When did you finish writing 'Vice Versa'?"

I really remembered what happened back then clearly.

"First off, I finished the last scene on April 2nd. No matter the result, I added the word 'end' at the end. I continued to revise the script on the screen over and over again, especially the end. I was really rushing things through, so the words became rather weird, and there were many times I had to correct. I then finished the editing work on the 6th, at midnight. Actually, the word 'finished' should only be used at such a moment."

"It happened in the past, but congratulations!"

"Thanks..."

I never thought that someone would congratulate me over something that happened 3 years ago, but I was really happy.

"What did you feel after finishing the first ever novel? Satisfied, I supposed? Or moved to bits."

"No, I didn't have time for that. I really was busy after that."

"Really? But didn't you just have to print the novel out and send it through mail?"

Nitadori gave me a startled look, and I answered by telling her the one reason that caused me much headache.

"I didn't have a printer at home."

"Ah..."

"I heard that anyone can submit their entries in the Newcomer award through e-mails now, but to register for the Dengeki Novel Prize, whether it was back then or now, one had to print the original script. Back then, I didn't have anything like an email address. On a side note, the 'original script' here would refer to a novel written on novel white paper, and there's no need to print it on actual white paper."

"Then, what did you do?"

"I went searching around on the internet at the library...but there wasn't a shop that's willing to print more than a hundred pieces of paper near my house. There were some business convenience shops near the town center offering such services however. My only option left was to buy a printer, and the day before the Graduation Ceremony, I went about transferring a few public buses to obtain a new weapon quickly."

"Isn't it very expensive?"

"It's not cheap, but not as expensive as I thought it would be. I spent a little more than 10,000 yen buying a black and white laserjet printer. Thank goodness I saved my pocket money..."

"What if...you didn't have that much money to use...?"

"The Dengeki Novel Prize would surely be impossible for me. I guess I would have registered for other awards."

"Then...you probably would have debuted there instead?"

"That's a possibility...but there's also a chance I would have failed to make the cut..."

"The most reliable thing in emergencies is still money after all..."

"No, well...maybe."

"Sometimes, love or friendship alone would have left you helpless..."

"I guess...so."

"Ah, please continue."

"Eh? Ah, yes. I brought from the shop a printer, some spare toner, and lots of A4 sized printer paper. Also, I bought some ordinary envelopes used to store scripts, a large fixed envelope meant for mailing, a hole-puncher and a shoelace from a 100 yen shop.

"How did you use the last two?"

"The registration regulations state that the entry has to have a hole in the right corner of the script, and it has to be tied together with a string. There are thin strings specially meant to fixed them together, but I bought shoelaces because I wasn't sure."

"I see. Not a binder, huh?"

"I did ask the editor-in-charge before, and he said that it would be terrible if the binder was to slip off. There are page numbers on the submitted scripts, but if many pages are to slip off, or even mix with other works..."

"That really is...scary to think about."

"Yeah, it really is. That's why a string had to be used to bind them. I also heard that as the judging proceeds, they'll need to print a few copies for the editors to see, and only then will they undo it."

"I see."

"Once I got back from the shop, I immediately installed the printer and did a test. I was really relieved once I knew that the printer could work normally. The following day was the 8th, the Graduation Ceremony for the 3rd years, and I began work once I got home."

"That really was a pressing moment."

"I was so anxious. The restrictions for the script was that there was to be 42 words per line and 34 lines for every paper. I was checking through the Word's 'page layout' to see if there was any mistake, whether it was a portrait layout. Also, I had to check whether the page numbers were included in there afterwards."

It seemed Nitadori was skeptical to the first half of my words, and she asked,

"Why's the format so inconvenient? Can't they accept 40 words and 30 lines...for example?"

"That Dengeki Bunko's format. A single page has 42 words per line, and 17 lines, so by copying over to the other side, that'll be 34 pages."

"I see...so it's to let the number of pages match the publisher's standard formatting."

"Yes. And after I printed it out, I realized that there was something important I forgot. I had to submit the plotline along with it."

"Pollution (TN: both can be read as Kougai)...like air pollution?"

"I'll like to ask you how you're going to send air pollution over later on...the plotline here refers to the 'summary'. The entry regulations state that the contestant's work has to have 2 other pieces of paper attached. One of them is the particulars form, like the title of the work, the actual name, pen name, address, age...phone number, and what else, I wonder? Sorry, I forgot about it. Remember to check it properly if you're looking to register."

"But I don't intend to submit an entry."

Nitadori answered with a laugh.

"So you need to write a summary of the story on the other piece of paper. How did you go about doing that?"

"I suppose any Newcomer award would require a clear outline of the contents of the story. There's a word limit to that that. Dengeki Bunko limits it to 800 words, and since I forgot about writing that thing, I was frantically typing it out while the laser jet printer was buzzing away beside me."

"But you just have to summarize the main points, right? This word count should be a cinch—"

<em>For you, sensei?</em> Nitadori was intending to say that, but was cut off by me.

"I didn't know the correct way of writing it."

"The correct way of writing."

"Yeah. I didn't know at all. I was wondering if I was supposed to write out the final ending in the story summary, or that I should do it like the story synopsis on the back of the DVD cover, and write some vague words like 'what exactly awaits the protagonist—'"

"Ahh...so which one was it?"

"I hurried off to the library, and found many similar questions and answers, so it's probable that everyone had the same issues as I did. The correct answer is 'to actually write the ending'."

 

I was in a panic—

But I managed to gather all the documents required for submission at midnight, on the 8th.

I arranged the printed script together, placed the particulars form and the story summary on it, and punctured a hole on the top right corner, binding the script together.

And just in case, since I had another shoelace, I duplicated another exactly similar document. The other document still rests in my desk.

Once I got back from school the next day, I checked the contents in the envelop.

"Alright..."

And I went off to the post office.

 

I remembered very well that when I was looking at the receipt in my hands, I felt that there was a drastic change in my thinking.

"An author? if only I can be one. I probably can't do so however."

My prior thinking was so pessimistic.

"An author? I'll be glad if anyone told me that I should be one. I guess it's fine for me to be one if that time comes."

And my thinking now is quite optimistic.

 

"Ah...that's amazing. You really worked hard completing this story and submitting it...it's amazing, really amazing. You really did your best, really. Yes yes."

Nitadori murmured as she hailed me.

I'm really glad to be receiving such praise now, but it's because of now that I found it to be a wonderful memory—

Back then, I didn't have such feelings at all.

Of course, I felt confident after finishing a long novel. That itself was hard work.

But the registration was not the end.

And neither was it the start.

To me, that was just the feeling of 'being someone with the right to stand on the starting line'.

The actual moment of me standing on the 'starting line' was—

When I learned that I entered high school.

That was approximately a year since I registered.

 

I have to clarify what happened during a certain period.

The period from when i failed to make the cut till to when I was to debut.

I ate a few of the sea salt potato chips I really liked, and took a little break; after that, I told Nitadori what happened afterwards.

First, I managed to get through the 3rd judging panel, but I lost out in the 4th round because of age reasons.

"My! You lost because of such a reason!"

"I did fail. But the editorial branch did clarify a little, and allowed me to debut as a nominee. Right now, I do feel that was the best decision, and I'm really grateful that the editorial branch put in so much thought for my sake."

And then, I told her of the promise I made with the editor-in-charge, that I would make my debut once I entered high school.

Nitadori did know that I did debut after I failed to make the cut (it was written in the afterword of the first volume of 'Vice Versa'), but she was really surprised to know that there was a 'hidden deal'.

"Now then...assuming that you didn't make it to high school, sensei, what would have happened to you? If you couldn't debut or go into high school."

"I was afraid things would end up like that."

"if that were to happen, what will you become like now?"

"How will I be now, huh...?"

I wondered a little, but it was too scary, so I gave up.

And then, I talked about how I took a break from school.

Once the work was decided to be adapted into an anime, I decided to take a break from school for a year to assist with the production of the anime and the continuation of the later volumes. I also told her the reason why I made this decision.

"I see...so that's what happened..."

Nitadori was really impressed.

"Speaking of which, how many people know about this?"

"Erm...my mom, the editorial branch, including the editor-in-charge, the authors I met at the End-of-year party...there's a lot of them. It really wasn't some classified secret."

This was how I ended the process before I resumed schooling again.

"Well...I guess I'm glad that you weren't expelled as a result, sensei? I think that it's not a waste for you to take a break from school for a year as you had something you had to do. I think that was the best choice you could have made."

Nitadori said with much passion.

I wasn't certain as to why she would say that so earnestly, but I was glad that she would approve of this decision I made after much pondering alone.

And I was completely relaxed.

"Thanks. Well, I wanted to go back to being an ordinary high school student, but I did something stupid on the first day..."

After I grumbled about what I shouldn't have said to my classmates, Nitadori laughed, saying,

"It's okay! The school year has just begun! We aren't going to change classes in this school, so you have another 2 years to work hard in the same class! There's also the school trip!"

And she so plainly stated such damaging words to me when I'm completely isolated in class.

<em>Is this girl a sadist? Or is she able to see the future of living with many friends around me, living the refreshing high school life, when even I couldn't see myself doing?</em>

Well, the school term did just start after all.

"Hm, well...I don't know what'll happen later on. I'll try enjoying whatever I can."

And so I answered with reluctance and delusion.

 

The train continued to race straight forward through the night streets.

There was the working class packed in crowds at the stations I passed by, waiting to get home quickly.

I, or we, again arrived at the city, and we would be reaching the station soon. It was the same the previous week; it felt that 2 hours and 30 minutes passed by quickly with just Nitadori and me chatting with each other.

"I'm getting off first today then."

I said.

"Thanks. Please do so."

And Nitadori answered, before continuing,

"May I...ask something else from you."

Her face's different from the usual expression she showed when she would ask me something.

She would give me the expression of a real interviewer when she asked me of my history.

But at this point, she had the face of a kid visiting relatives in January.

"It's not something really big."

That definitely was a lie. I had a premonition, but I asked,

"Anyway...let's hear you out..."

"Thanks. Erm, it's really not something big. I really have no intention of causing you trouble, sensei, but I do want to get permission from you."

She started off delightedly with with a long introduction.

I really couldn't imagine what she would saw. To be honest, I was scared.

No, no matter how scared I was, she probably wouldn't be saying 'I want to kill you! Now please die!' or something like that.

Whatever she said couldn't be any scarier than death itself.

While I prepared myself, Nitadori said

"It's my turn for recitation next Thursday."

 

The 'recitation' we're talking about here—

Would be the class routine arranged at the beginning of the language class by our teacher, twice weekly, on Monday and Thursday.

That was probably something our aged language teacher came up with on a whim (or so I think).

<em>"Anything is fine here. Just bring your favorite novel and recite in front of the class"</em>

That was what we had to do. We had to do it in 3 minutes minimum, 10 minutes maximum.

I never did the statistics, but I feel that more than 90% of us hate this period.

The order was decided through lots, so I didn't know Nitadori was to do it next Thursday.

To avoid anyone forgetting the order once someone finished with the recitation, the teacher will definitely mentioned who would be doing the next two sessions. I suppose my consciousness was dressed to Reputation during the session today.

Speaking of which, I guess it's my turn soon after.

I remember it's also on Thursday, probably 3 or 4 weeks later. Got to check the notebook.

I really like books. However, I really am bad, and I really hate, reciting in front of others.

Of course, I probably will be reciting the same things as the other students if it's my turn, and cautiously choose works from famous authors,

'How many times does K have to die?'

Or

'Cat again?'

Or

'Hasn't Melos been running too much!?'

And give them 3 minutes to think about it.

As for which books they are, I'll just have to decide it on the day prior to it. No matter what sort of joke it was, even if the world was to end the next day, or even if someone was to point a gun at my head,

I had no intention of reciting 'Vice Versa'.

I never thought of that before.

And I didn't intend to think of such a terrifying thing—

W-wait...

Eh?

No...

Don't tell me...

Perhaps...

Nitadori...

 

I guess anyone could have seen that my face was completely frozen.

"So I say,"

The one person closest to me threw a megaton bomb at me with a smile,

"It's fine for me to recite 'Vice Versa', right?"

The broadcast indicating the train's arrival at the terminal buzzed in my mind.

I had to clearly state my rejection at this moment.

This girl, Eri Nitadori, would do it.

She would recite my novel right behind me.

And with the clear, beautiful voice, she would recite it so fluently, with so much emotions.

She would definitely do that.

I could tell.

I understood from the eyes. Those eyes.

That was the expression Nitadori was showing. On first glance, she seemed to be smiling really delightedly, and that was the same deep within her heart.

Thus, I had to tell her decisively at this point.

I had to state my refusal.

Of course, she would be reading the lines I created with vigor during the after record, and I would be listening by the side. This and that would be two different matters altogether however.

The answer I had to give Nitadori was 'no'.

I had to answer that.

To answer that as an upperclassman, and as a man.

"Nitadori..."

"What is it, sensei?"

To answer this bespectacled girl who's tilting her head cutely, I took a large breath,

"I'm willing to do anything you ask me, so please spare me on this already."

The words I then said naturally became respectful.

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This title is too long!:Volume1 Chapter2

2015-07-07T22:17:54Z

Chocolatkey: /* Part 2 */

==Chapter 2 - April 17, She asked me==

===Part 1===

‎I'm a High School Boy and a Bestselling Light Novel author, strangled by my female classmate who is my junior and a voice actress.

This is my current predicament.

The black dye forming in my mind spreading quickly and quietly.

At the same time, rain began to fall in the middle of my sights.

This is because, the moment Nitadori yelled, the tears gathered on the inside of the lens fell out.

Inexplicably however, the tears never fell no matter how long it too.

They seemed to linger in the air.

On a closer glance, I found they expanding slowly, very slowly.

But they never fell.

The tears never fell.

That was what I realized in my darkened mind.

At this moment, the flow of time seem to be very slow.

===Part 2===

It was the evening of April 17th, the 3rd Thursday of the month.

I entered the Limited Express car.

Passing through the doors, I went towards the exact same seat I took the previous week.

The free-seating carriage was as empty as before, and there were fewer passengers.

I arrived at the platform 20 minutes earlier than before, hoping not to miss the ride, and also to take my favorite seat. While waiting at the platform, I looked left and right, but did not see Nitadori.

But even so, I placed my backpack on the rack the moment I got on; once she came by, I would not have to worry about moving my stuff aside. The carriage was so empty, and I didn't think anyone else would come.

After that, I sat down at the windowside seat.

I then looked at the watch wrapped around my left wrist.

When I received my first royalty, I thought 'Maybe I should buy something to commemorate', and so, I spent 30,000 Yen on this digital watch, and ever since then, I had been wearing this. Or rather, I had been wearing this watch all this time.

The last time I stared at the display so intently was when I first bought this watch.

The train departed punctually from the station, and nobody came to my side.

On this day, a cold downpour occurred since morning, and so the windowpanes were drenched as it began moving, causing the scenery to look contorted.

On this week, from Monday till Thursday, Nitadori,

Didn't speak to me at school, just as we promised.

It was me who always entered the classroom earlier, and Nitadori would proceed to the seat behind me unwittingly while I was reading or in my delusions.

Once it was class break, I would not turn my head around to speak to her, and she too wouldn't talk to me either..

Speaking of which, I was hardly in the classroom during class break. I would either head to the toilet,or I would find a place to stroll nonchalantly for no particular reason.

During lunch, I would have my own meal in the school cafeteria, and then stay in the library until class ended.

After school, I would head home immediately, as quickly as possible to read books, watch anime and movies, or write my novel.

The train got faster, and the raindrops flowed down the window.

The seat beside me remained empty.

“Maybe I should get to work...”

I muttered. I couldn't recall when was it that I first described my actions as 'work'. Though I had no experience in working part-time, I was already spouting the word work like others.

I stood up to pick up my bag, intending to retrieve the items from within.

And at that moment, the automatic doors behind me opened.

“Yo! Sensei!”

Someone spoke up to me from behind.

Despite hearing only the voice, I knew who it was before I even turned around.

And so, I moved my hands away from my bag.

<br>

Nitadori had a bag with her on this day.

It was brown, an old looking travel bag with wheels attached to it. Nitadori pulled it as she let it roll, and placed it horizontally at the seat behind me.

She was holding a bag of goods purchased from the convenience store.

I could see through the bag. It contained two bags of potato chips and two 500ml PET bottles of tea.

“Here!”

She said as she handed it to me, and so, I did not take my backpack, picking the plastic bag instead. Trying my best not to touch her hands, I managed to grab the bag skilfully, a rarity at that.

I sat down beside the window. Like the previous week, Nitadori had her hair tidied in a bundle, letting it drape down her right shoulder as she sat down.

“It's been a week, sensei, though I've been seeing your back every day.”

This greeting certainly was weird, but it was fact.

“It's been a week. Though...I do sense your stare every day.”

I put the plastic bag on my thighs and did my best to answer.

“Did you feel my hot, passionate stare?”

And that reply came with a smile.

Seeing her act like that, I continued to try my best,

“Yeah, I do. I felt...a burning feeling on my back.”

“Oh? You're good. Do you then understand what's it about?”

“What do you mean? 'Hey! Add more appearances for Meek!'”

“Correct!”

Meek is a supporting character in 'Vice Versa'.

She's a 'homonculus' created by an alchemist; in other words, an artificial human.

Since it is a fictitious story, the characters are typically very pretty, and the homonculus in particular are designed to have 'extraordinary pretty'.

And so, the unique characteristic the homonculus have is heterochromia; in other words, they have different colored eyes.

The colors differ amongst the homonculus, and in Meek's case, her right eyes is wine red, while her left's yellow. Her hair's blond and short.

Her exotic clothes are such that it bares lesser skin, and there's a green muffler wrapped around her neck.

Nitadori Eri, the girl with long black hair sitting beside me now, was voicing her character.

<br>

I wanted to ask her about something.

And after 3 seconds of choosing my words,

“Nitadori, about 'Vice Versa'...how much have you read?”

I asked tentatively.

I didn't go straight to the point and ask her 'did you read it?' Instead, I said 'how much have you read'. Even I found myself pathetic here.

I did hear from somewhere that when acting in an anime that has original work, some would read the entire work, and some wouldn't read the work at all.

The former group wanted to understand the world setting and the characters they're portraying, even if it's a little, and understand the parts that were omitted from the script (however, there are some characters that were completely different from how they were in the original work as compared to the anime script).

The latter group were the opposite, thinking that the script (screenplay) they have is everything for the anime, and deliberately chose not to touch the original work so that they would not sense any difference from the original work.

Of course, there are those who feel that it's time-taxing to read all of the original work. A manga would be one thing, but reading 9 volumes of a light novel series is not that easy.

<i>“Well, I didn't read all of the original work, you know?”</i>

If Nitadori were to answer like that, I would probably feel nothing but heartfelt disappointment, and I wouldn't have confidence in continuing the conversation.

But even so, the reason why I deliberately asked that question was,

I wanted to know how much we knew in common when I talk to her If she did read the original work, there's something we can both talk about.

In conclusion, her response was,

“I read all 9 volumes! They're interesting!”

She answered without a moment's hesitation, in a matter-of-fact manner, continuing by saying the words an author would be most delighted with.

“Th—”

I was unable to continue on,

“Th?”

Nitadori tilted her head slightly as she listened to me.

Taking a steady breath, I blurted out what was on my mind,

“Thanks.”

Nitadori let a little gasp, and expressed her thoughts,

“Likewise, sensei.”

<br>

'Vice Versa'.

Typically, this term would be used at the end of a sentence, with an 'and' added in front. The meaning of this is 'the opposite of the preceding statement holds true'.

For example,

“I hate him and vice versa.”

The meaning of this English line would be,

“I hate him, and he too hates me.”

This is a very colloquial mainly used in conversations, so normally, it goes like this,

“I hate that guy, and I guess we both hate each other.”

“I hate that guy, but I guess that guy feels the same towards me.”

Well, that seems to be how it goes.

This lines didn't seem like it was English to begin with, and actually, it wasn't; it was originally from Latin, it seemed.

I learned of this English expression when I was a Middle School student. It was not taught in English class, and neither did it appear in the textbooks; I saw it in the library, on the title of a slightly old American movie.

 
 

If I have to describe 'Vice Versa' in one line, it would be 'the story of one summoned to a foreign world''.

The submitted work, which ended up as the summary of the first volume, is as followed,

The protagonist's a boy born in modern Japan.

His name is 'Shin Tsumizono 摘園真'. Naturally, the name's derived from the meaning of 'Vice Versa', 'the opposite of the preceding statement holds true'. (TN: 真means truth.)

Shin's a docile high school boy, and lived in a certain town of a certain prefecture where the mountains could be viewed. He grew up with a girl called 'Yui', and lived a very peaceful high school life with a few good friends amicably.”

But on a certain day, he felt a mysterious music seemingly ringing in his mind, and he was suddenly transported to a different world.

This world, certainly not Earth, was called 'Reputation'. There were 5 moons in the sky, and a belt of light surrounding the planet.

Magic naturally existed in this world, and there were also all sorts of creatures, including species like elves and dwarves.

Shin, not knowing what was going on, met a boy who resembled him greatly.

That boy was the other protagonist, 'Sin'. (TN: Original has it as シン, using Sin here to distinguish between the two.)

Sin was so similar to Shin that they were practically twins, but he had such a contrasting personality, for he's feisty, and had an amazing amount of combat ability.

Sin is a prince of one of the kingdoms existing in the chaos roaming this world. His father had recently passed away, and he inherited the throne at a young age.

For the survival of his country, Sin fought on, at the same time harboring a dream of finally uniting the world and allowing all to live in peace.

In the history of Reputation, the 'two great kings' once fought a battle for supremacy. The winner of the war 'true king (self-proclaimed)' ruled his world. Several hundred years passed, and the true king (self-proclaimed) had vanished somewhere. His authority lost its luster, and the world was in chaos again.

Unfortunately for him, Shin arrived in this warring era that was filled with bloodshed. In his very first battle, he died easily.

And then, he revived.

In this world, Shin had immortality, and was able to revive over and over again.

No matter what sort of damage his body took, in other words, his head lopped off, his body burned, or blown into gibs by bombs, his flesh and blood would gather again, and he would revive.

Sin was particularly interested in Shin, and thought of using the latter.

Shin had no intention of getting involve in such fights and getting himself killed, but upon realizing that there were no other ways to live on or return to his world, he colluded with Sin.

Sin's little sister was a pretty girl called Ema with a similar face to the duo, and Shin, working together with their gathering of beautiful maids cum bodyguards and macho looking warrior subordinates, spent his days dying over and over again in these turbulent times.

Soon after, they took on a powerful enemy country.

The young general of the neighboring country, Pluto, led his forces to attack Sin's country.

In this battle that concerned the survival of the country, Shin learned of Sin's thoughts and determination, understanding that the latter's a kind person in nature who hated war more than anyone else. And so, he decided to summon all his courage and work together with Sin.

It was the final battle.

Shin acted as Sin's decoy, and deliberately led himself to be caught.

[[File:Toolong014.jpg|200px]]

The former was easily revealed to be an impostor, and was killed. As according to plan, he revived, escaped, caused chaos on the battlefield, and at the very end, Shin took on Pluto himself.

No matter how many times he died, Shin continued to fight and pester Pluto. Once Shin realized that the handsome Pluto was actually a pretty girl dressed as a male, he seized the opportunity and won.

And so, Shin and Sin managed to fight back the enemy forces, saving the country.

While Sin, the leader of the country, and Ema were wondering about how they should repay Shin, Shin heard the music that led him to this world, and realized that he could return to his own world.

When leaving Reputation, Shin suavely left these words to the boy who resembled him,

“You owe me a favor, Sin!”

When he returned back to modern Japan, he found that nary a second had passed.

Having returned safely from the vanished world and time, Shin wondered if that was just a dream,

But even so, he was able to feel proud about being able to summon his courage.

And then, he ran off to the friends calling him name.

The end.

 
 

Or so it seemed, but it didn't end here.

After flipping a few pages, there's the stinger,

A few days later, after school, Shin was on his way to play with Yui and his friends,

“Where's this place!?”

Only to find a fully armed Sin suddenly appearing in front of him in modern Japan.

And then, he saw Shin's face.

The 1st volume ended here, and the story was to be continued the 2nd volume.

 
 

'Vice Versa has sold 9 volumes'.

The odd numbered volumes are called 'Side Shin', and the even numbered volumes are called 'Side Sin'.

These terms was originally used by the editor-in-charge and me for convenience sake, and soon after, it's used in the introductory synopsis. Right now, these terms are widely used by the readers themselves.

A little off-topic, but since both of them didn't sound different, we would call 'Side Shin' as 'Side Makoto' instead.

In the odd numbered volumes, Shin would be brought over to Regulation to fight, and the story's serious and bloody.

In the even numbered volumes, Sin would be brought over to modern Japan, causing all sorts of ruckus, and the story's comedic.

 
 

In the second volume, once Sin, who arrived in Japan, was spotted by Shin's friends, the latter had a brainwave, and came up with a setting of him 'being a guy who likes to cosplay as Middle Ages era characters, and being a long estranged cousin who has such uncanny resemblance both of them were often thought of as twins'.

And so, Sin was nearly arrested by the police for violating the firearms control law, and was completely astounded by all sorts of things in modern Japan like cars, buildings and trains. He tried to look into the distance, and climbed up the high voltage electrical poles quickly, only to be electrocuted and fell to his death.

And then, he revived.

If this were to keep up, Sin would probably end up committing a robbery to survive, and so Shin decided to bring him home.

Though they met Shin's mother very quickly,

“Since we're cousins, I guess I have no choice here.”

His open-minded mother, for some reason, agreed to allow Sin to live with them.

And so, Sin lived together with Shin in Japan, not knowing what to do to get back to Japan.

In conclusion, he solved the problems surrounding Shin through some relatively forceful methods.

And at the end of the 2nd volume, when Shin bid farewell to a vanishing Sin,

“You owe me a favor, Shin!”

And so, the volume ended in a completely different situation from the 1st volume.

 
 

In the 3rd volume, Shin again returned to Regulation.

In the 4th volume, Sin again returned to Japan. This time, he had Ema with him, who just so happened to hold his hand.

And the story of seriousness and comedy repeated over and over again.

 
 

It may be a little too much for me to say this,

No, I understand this better than anyone else, for I'm the one who wrote this.

'Vice Versa's an over-the-top story.

It includes a Middle Age era fantasy, all sorts of monsters, flashy magic, mysterious science and mecha, battles and wars, journeys, friendship, cute moe girls, characters with many aspects of personalities, the burning friendship between guys, Machiavellian schemes of politicians, mystery plots involving identical looks, immortality, sexy situations, gags, tear-jerking episodes, tragic farewells, peaceful school life, cynical irrationality, otaku episodes,

I basically crammed all the interesting elements I saw in the novels, manga, anime and movies I saw into this work.

The idea of letting the protagonists switch between Reputation and Japan was an answer I derived when thinking about how to convey all these aspects.

Upon hearing those words,

“Now that's cunning of you.”

The editor-in-charge gave me such praise.

 
 

We're inside the Limited Express.

And after I expressed my thanks because she read my work,

“Likewise, sensei.”

Nitadori gave me this answer, and then continued on,

“Anyway, that's how it is. Do you want some snacks?”

I didn't know what she meant by 'that's how it is', but Nitadori gently lifted the plastic bag that was on my lap.

“Please prepare a table.”

I did as I was told, and pulled the table from the seat handrail.

I would usually place my stuff on my lap when checking the scripts and using the laptop, so this is the first time I'm using the table.

Nitadori placed the two bottles of tea and the salted seaweed potato chips on my table.

“It's a token of thanks from me.”

“Ah...thanks. I was feeling a little hungry, so thanks for helping me with that...I guess?”

“Don't worry about it. I want to have some too, and it's thanks for being willing to continue talking with me. Just think of it as <i>katusdon</i> in the interrogation room.

“I see. You said that you got a lot of questions to ask me, right?”

Even if there's no <i>katsudon</i>, I'm still willing to answer all your questions (Off topic, but in fact, the police won't give any katsudon when interrogating others, and if orders were placed, if seems the suspects will have to pay for themselves).

Even so, since Nitadori provided me with a gift, I'll just accept it without thinking too much.

With this, I guess the excuse of answering lots of questions because I accepted sweets is estanlished.

I held the ends to open the bag of potato chips,

“I really like salted Seaweed.”

And expressed my honest thoughts.

Even since I was young, salted seaweed flavor's my favorite for potato chips, and I like it to the point of being unwilling to take other flavors.

“I I like it too.”

Nitadori's brief words really shocked me, and I nearly dropped the bag.

<i>Wait. Don't be mistaken. That's definitely not what she meant.</i> I tried convincing myself this.

I crisply open this bag of potato chips that's slightly bloated due to the atmospheric pressure of this town.

And then, I thought of something.

“What about horse sashimi flavor?”

There's a souvenir shop located next to the departure platform selling such flavored chips, though they aren't potato chips. As they're souvenirs, they're a little more pricey.

Having asked this question, I look over at Nitadori, and she turned her glasses towards me with a serious look.

“I did hear of the rumors before, and I did try it. It's nice, but I must say that it's different from real horse sashimi. I don't want to dabble in such trivial stuff of whether such a thing can be considered as such, and I don't think I'm the one to decide this. Now then—who can it be?”

In response to this overly serious and pretentious declaration, I ponder seriously, and say,

“...Erm. The horse sashimi god?”

“Understood. When I take Gonsuke out for a walk the next time, I'll ask him if I meet him.”

“Meet him, really? While walking?”

“No, I haven't met him yet. But well, it doesn't matter what my mystery experience is like. More importantly, please tell me more about being a writer like what I said last week, and help me level up here.”

“Understood...but your Japanese's a little weird.”

“You're really particular like an author.”

“I'm an author.”

 
 

After eating 4 pieces of potato chips and drinking two gulps of tea that was provided,

“Now then, do you mind explaining?”

My interrogation began in this Limited Express carriage.

I don't know whether Nitadori was adjusting her glasses as an act, or something else altogether.

“Understood. I'll answer all of your questions.”

And so, I told her as manly as I could. If I can do it, I'll do it.

“But I don't really have a clear answer other than the overly private stuff, so except for the private matters regarding other people and what I definitely can't reveal in my work...”

And then, I answered in a wimpy manner. If I can't do it, I won't do it.

“Understood.”

The glasses girl who loved horse sashimi smiled as she said this,

“Now then, as for what I wanna ask today,”

“Eh? Today?”

“But we only have 2 and a half hours, right? That's why I decided on a theme every week. There are other things I want to ask next week.”

“...”

“You ate some of my potato chips, right? Actually, a chip's worth a week of questions.”

“...”

I silently reached my hand out for the 5th piece.

 
 

I continued to crunch the 6th and 7th piece of chips.

“Ah, do you want some?”

But after realizing that I can't be the only one eating all these, I turn the bag of chips over to Nitadori.

“Thanks. I don't need it now. I'll wait till I'm hungry later. You can finish it all yourself.”

Even if she said so, I didn't intend to finish it myself, and sealed the bag tightly to avoid letting the chips sog, and placed it in the plastic bag.

I wiped my hands with a handkerchief, took a gulp of tea, and said,

“Now then...go ahead.”

 
 

“I apologize...if the question's too rude, and please remind me of that.”

Nitadori started off with these words,

“What kind of lifestyle do you have?”

And asked the first question.

I can't see it, but it seemed I showed quite the shocked look.

“Ah, sorry, it's too crude...”

Nitadori frantically added on,

“Well, when I first did the After Record, I was really, really shocked there! 'Vice Versa's really interesting, and it's my first time voicing a named character, so I always wondered what sort of person the author is. But when I searched through the internet, I found the author's real face to be a complete mystery, and some think that the author may be a female...”

<i>Well, it's normal for her to be shocked.</i> I thought. Till this point, I've been shocking the people I met at work.

There was once when I went with the editor-in-charge to meet the anime personnel.

“Oh? You brought your son along?”

And that was what they said to the editor-in-charge.

“And well, I was really shocked to find that person seated in front of me in the classroom during the new semester, so much that my heart and lungs practically stopped...I didn't know how I would end up if the self-introduction continued...”

“Ah...well, I see. I understand since I was shocked too.”

It's only till this point that I realized it was a good thing for me not to turn my head around immediately.

“So first, I want to ask, what sort of childhood did you have, sensei? When did you start reading books? When did you start writing books? How did you think of so many stories and characters.”

I understood what she wanted to. Basically, she wanted to know about me up till this point.

“Understood. Those questions are fine.”

Once I said that, I felt the brown eyes behind those glasses glowing.

 
 

As for the first memories I had in my life, I didn't answer them because I didn't want to.

I didn't think there's a need for that.

That's why I answered Nitadori using the next impression I had in life.

“I've...been reading books ever since I was young.”

“When did it start?”

“Hm, well, I got to tell you something before this...I only have a single parent, raised by my mother. If mum didn't tell me about it, I wouldn't have known who my dad is, and whether he's alive or not.”

“...”

After seeing Nitadori suddenly scowl and quiet down,

“But it's to be expected for me. The people around me, including my classmates knew of this, so it's nothing to hide. Don't worry about it.”

I then continued on as per normal, and she nodded slightly,

“I understand...were you always reading books alone since young, sensei?”

I nodded.

 
 

I only have a single mother in my family.

I never knew why I was born, as my mother never told me so.

Of course, I never thought of myself as a child of God.

At this point, it's pointless for me to know, and so I never ask; never will I intend to ask.

I heard that my mother's mother, my maternal grandmother, died when I was 2, and my maternal grandfather died earlier. In other words, my mother and I—

Have no relatives at all.

My mother has been working as a nurse for a long time, and because of this, she never once got retrenched. Our family's not rich, but it's not to a point where we can't survive without relying on others.

But as mom's always deployed at different hospitals, we'll move to apartments located near them. I lived in a few places in this prefecture.

I like reading books. I can't think of when it began, and what started it, but what I can remember in my childhood was that I spent all the time reading books by myself.

I was either reading books at home, or at the childcare centers, or at the libraries in my elementary school.

I started reading picture books, and then went on to children books, and then to children literature. I suppose that when I was in 4th grade, I read through all the books in my school's library.

I really like to read books, and anything goes as long as I have books. I never thought of doing anything else.

And because of that, I practically had no friends.

There are classmates I sometimes interact with in school, but there aren't any friends who would ask me out to play after school or invite me to their houses.

This is because I kept transferring schools, coupled with my introverted personality, and more important—

“I felt happier reading books, treating them as toys...”

 

“Treating them as toys?”

Nitadori tilted her head, as the term implied.

This was to be expected.

There's a definite need to explain this.

“What I mean by 'treating them as toys' is...”

 

To play with the books.

To play with my delusions.

There was no way the young me could imagine characters, settings and conversations right from scratch.

And so, after reading a book, I'll read it again.

When reading it again, I'll understand the scenes in the book, imagining the images in my mind. I'll then destroy them as I please and reset them accordingly to what I like.

For example, I'll turn a tragedy into a complete opposite, a comedy.

And I'll turn all the characters that appeared in a comedy to die unnatural deaths in a tragedy.

That was how I started off playing with the characters.

Once I got proficient at it, I started to increase the number of characters. That would be myself.

I would immerse myself in the world of the book, beat all the characters that debuted inside it, and prove my strength.

I could play with this up till 10 times in a book. I would rewrite the setting every single time, until I got addicted to it.

That's the 'role play' kind of game. Every kid had done it.

I'll use dolls for girls, and for boys, I would insert myself as a hero.

However, I used books for this case.

 

“I see...”

After hearing the explanation, Nitadori seemed impressed, saying,

“In other words, you've always been reading books and having imaginations since young, sensei.”

“Yeah. I prefer the term 'delusions' however, so I'll express it as 'delusions'. That's about the same meaning.”

I feel that 'imaginations' give a more elegant vibe, while 'delusions' give a vibe of 'doing foolish things', and I prefer this nuance.

“How were your grades in elementary school?”

“I think I did decent other than P.E. I like reading books, so this includes textbooks. From the start of the new school semester, I read through the textbooks over and over again. On a side note, I do like reading dictionaries too.”

“I see.”

“And then, during 5th grade, there's something that undoubtedly changed my life. Without that incident, I'll never have the current me.”

That really did affect my life greatly, and I blurted it honestly.

“Wh-what exactly is it?”

Nitadori asked with a serious face. She's like a journalist here, just without a notepad in her hands.

Just when I intended to answer, the train conductor came by. It's a middle aged man this time, and after briskly checking the Limited Express tickets Nitadori and I had, he departed.

“Erm—”

I continued on,

“My mom decided to move houses. For my sake.”

 

It happened during Spring, when I was promoting from 4th grade to 5th grade.

My mother suddenly decided to move houses.

There was no change in her workplace location, she just wanted to move houses for my sake.

She wanted to move to a place 20km away from our original house.

The new apartment was located right beside the largest library in the area.

If I could be right beside a large library, that might that—

I could read all the books to my heart's content from henceforth. The collection of books in the school library far pales in comparison to it.

I was really happy when I heard about it. Though I had to transfer school again, it really didn't matter to me.

Mom had a lot more overtime work as a result, and that in turn caused me to be really troubled—

Actually, I was too happy to even think about that.

 

“Ever since then, I was always at 3 places, my apartment room, the elementary school, and the library. The library really was great, because, to put it, I didn't have to buy books!'

I just hope that all the readers would buy my books ever since I became an author however. I never expressed this thought to Nitadori, especially since even I thought it was selfish.

“Your mother's really amazing! You've been reading non stop ever since then, right, sensei...?”

“I was reading, playing.”

Feeling parched after saying all this, I dowsed myself with some tea.

 

The library contained books many elementary school libraries did not contain. Or I would say, they contained those kinds of books.

In other words, there were a lot more adult oriented books, and my choice of books increased instantly.

The typical detective novels prior to this were mostly about Arsène Lupin and Sherlock Holmes, but at that point, I could obtain detective novels that were more adult oriented.

I hungrily devoured the detective-themed books written by famous Japanese authors.

These books were typically written for adults, so there were some rather erotic scenes written within.

Unable to understand the prose, I read them with my heart pounding. I would wonder if anyone would have noticed what I was reading if they approached me from behind.

The library had mangas which the school library didn't have.

Of course, they were those famous works, and it really was an opportunity for me, who had no chance to read them. With the chance to obtain these classic works, I understood the joy of reading manga.

There were also many of the so called light novels in the library, and I had the chance to be introduced to them.

At first, I did not particularly notice the differences between a light novel and other kinds of books. I didn't remember how it was back then, but it's not a rarity nowadays to see a light novel with a cover illustration.

But as light novels occupied one entire bookstore, I merely assumed them to be another type of book, and started looking from the catchy looking titles.

After browsing through, I found that light novels could be said to be novels similar to manga; There were lots of illustrations, and the plotlines were similar.

At this age, I, like other people, started off attracted by the 'cute female character drawing' at first. Thus, I started reading them happily, and played with them.

I could also watch movies in the library.

The library had DVDs for borrowing, and I could either bring them home to watch, or to watch in the library.

I feel that in terms of 'enjoying a story', both books and movies are the same. I got addicted to movies after watching a few of them. Like mangas, I did check out a few classic works on the shelves.

And ever since I began watching movies, I started watching television, which I watched infrequently back then, just to watch the movies.

Of course, it wasn't to a point of reducing my reading time, but watching movies inspired me to watch anime often.

The me right now really like watching anime, and this includes all genres. It was only near the end of my 6th grade that I began to watch them religiously (or record them to avoid missing out). I even rewatched the recordings and watch anime to enjoy the stories.

 

After hearing my explanation till this point, Nitadori looked very impressed.

“Hm.”

Looking solemn, she mused,

“In other words...your mother moved houses to give you gifted education?”

“Ahaha, I guess.”

I gave an honest smile, and continued,

“The types of books I could read and marvel at increased, and as a result, I had more time playing with those works. I forgot when it started, but I was able to come up with delusions even if I've yet to finish a book, like before I sleep, when I shower, or when I'm in class.”

“You can't do that in class!?”

Nitadori chortled, her tone clearly the opposite of what she said, and she continued,

“I got a question, sensei. Do you play video games?”

“Practically not. The first time I tried it was during early elementary school. I borrowed a game from someone at the childcare center, and it was interesting, but—”

“But?”

“I was horrible at it. Very. I just couldn't play well no matter how I tried, and I couldn't play to the point where it got interesting, which really puts a dampener on me. I was rather interested in role-play games or adventure games with interesting stories...but I just felt that games were still inferior to books.”

“I see, I see.”

 

The Limited Express raced through a few stations in the rain.

The passengers increased in the number, but the tour group passengers were having a commotion, so we could continue with our conversation as normal.

“So sensei, it's because you had such a childhood that you were able able to have all sorts of imaginations.”

After learning of my past, Nitadori asked me about a question, 'the major decision I made in my life'.

“When did you decide to begin writing a novel?”

The editor-in-charge did ask the same question Nitadori did. My answer wouldn't change with time, and I just had to answer her.

“I decided to do so in 8th grade.”

 

I managed to graduate successfully from 8th grade.

I suppose I transferred schools 5 times in those 6 years. Of course, I had no friends at all.

I became a middle school student, studying at the middle school near the library.

With the school nearby, it meant that I had a shorter travel distance. This really helped me out in Middle School.

If anyone were to ask me if there were any changes upon entering middle school, I would say none, at first.

Just a little growth spurt, and a change of voice.

Nothing else changed however. I couldn't make any friends, and I was just living my life reading books, watching movies, anime, and having delusions.

“Ah, I studied too!”

“Very good.”

At this point, the stories I had in my delusions ended up forming in the real world.

In other words, a delusion of me being active in the book's world ends up with me being some amazing guy in the real world, able to do anything. (I can't really remember when exactly I became like that though.)

For example,

A terrorist attacked my Middle school, killed the teachers, and took the students hostage. I managed to deal with it easily though, and I had the fantasy of such a story appearing in Hollywood.

When I look outside the window during class—

“The terrorists are hiding in that milk truck! We can't let those guys enter the school!”

I had such grandeur delusions countless times.

And when I shared these delusions as a joke with other authors at the end-of-year party,

“I once had such things too, ahaha.”

And they looked surprised, answering,

“Eh? —there are people who don't do that?”

That was when I learned that everyone did that sort of thing.

But the delusions of 'making myself a cool and amazing protagonist'—

Suddenly stopped once I got to 8th grade.

“Why—did something happen at that time?”

The interviewer Nitadori asked me.

The bespectacled face immediately approached me, and I retreated my body back.

“Well...to put it simply, I learned of my own limit.”

“Ah?”

“Actually, I realized that if I'm to keep it up...I won't be able to be the protagonist.”

“Hm? I still don't understand.”

 

My delusions till this point are all centered around 'myself'.

No matter which story is it, I'll appear and show off in them.

I can do whatever I want within the story, beat any enemy, escape any crisis, solve any mysterys, and become friends with pretty girls (though I was just thinking about pleasant things, not to the point of lovers).

Once I got to 8th grade however, I realized my limits, the limits I have in the real world.

I'm not good at sports, and my grades in school weren't excellent.

Furthermore, I'm not good at making friends. I never made any in the past, so this is to be expected.

I can't try to make any girl happy even if I tried talking to me. In any case, I was unable to converse with someone of the opposite gender normally.

I never had quarrels with others, and I don't want to; if that were to happen, I guess I'll definitely lose.

After looking at myself in the real world objectively—

I couldn't find myself becoming any kind of hero even in my free delusions.

I could no longer let myself be the protagonist. It's depressing and down-heartening, but that was what I had to recognize.

So, did the delusions end?

Not at all. The opposite, in fact,

“My delusions escalated further from then on.”

“Escalate...?”

Nitadori repeated what I just said.

And then, she went silent.

The train went around a curb, causing a large jolt. The forces were pressing at me from the side and below.

Looking outside the window, I could see the deformed green leaves pass by in the rain,

“I can somewhat understand, but...”

Nitadori said, and I turn my face back to hers.

This pretty bespectacled girl who loves horse sashimi and is a year younger than me stared at me earnestly,

“You started creating 'characters that aren't yourself, right?”

And she mentioned the correct answer so concisely.

 

In 8th grade, I gave up on myself in my delusions, gave up on being the me that would most probably be just a pathetic character.

Instead, I chose to let others take the roles.

That was the turning point.

I no longer thought 'I can't do this'.

Instead, I decided, 'this character's able to do these'.

Using that example of 'terrorists invading school vs the students',

I'll no longer be in the school.

Instead, I'll be high above, like the heavens, creating a character created by the god,

“A Middle School boy who was raised and trained by an old man in the neighborhood who was an ex-JSDF special forces commander, and ended up having combat training every day'.

And then I'll dump this character to the school.

He, living a plain, normal life, sprang to action the moment he heard gunshots, and unleashed the hidden power—this setting will make for a great convenience.

I decided to use 'the him who's able to jump up to the second floor' and replace 'the me who can't even jump onto a box. No matter how much the terrorists will change their plans or even take hostages, they'll definitely be wiped out

 

And so, once I created 'a character capable of being a protagonist', my delusions increased exponentially.

I became adept at creating all sorts of scenarios to fit the characters.

For example, when a pursued protagonist finds a motorbike in front of him and a subway station, if it's me, I'll check to see if I have enough spare change to buy a ticket as I head down.

As the protagonist will be riding on a bike however (as it was written), he'll leap onto a bike gallantly, and start the engines. As for why the key's on the bike, I have no idea.

Once I 'fired myself' like this, there was a sudden change in the situation, like a creature living in the sea migrating to the land—

This world of delusions that will continue to grow just keeps growing (though in fact, the seas encompasses more area as compared to the land.)

 

"I see…! That's really interesting!"

Nitadori was truly impressed, stretching her white tender hands to clap for me.

"Th-thank, you."

I thanked her, and added on,

"During this time...since I fired myself, there's a need for another important change."

Her eyes peering through the glasses, she stared back at me,

"What kind of change?"

 

In 8th grade, I began creating characters while giving up on 'making myself the protagonist', and the number of characters I could create increased exponentially.

It would be an awkward matter to have a modern Japanese middle student and terrorist fighter be the same character as a prince using swordsmanship and magic in a fantasy world.

Even the enemies, allies and other side characters increased in numbers.

And I created more heroines and protagonists (or else there wasn't any way to make the protagonist popular, and a 'harem setting' can't be established).

In that case, it'll be difficult for me to keep remembering the number of characters I created through my brain alone.

I found that even if I continued to make the same delusions, there are still some things I'll forget.

That'll be a waste of the characters I created with much work. It's fun creating new characters, but I still do wish to preserve the characters I like.

And so, I decided to record them down outside my brain.

Where?

There weren't many options. Back then, I decided to write them down in my notebook, handwritten.

I bought a college notebook at the convenience store diagonally opposite my middle school, and within it, I wrote down—

I wrote down the names of the characters I created, their personalities, their weapons and the names, their favorite foods, and their signature quotes.

And so, my 'delusion notebook' was born

That was the first time I converted the world of delusions, in my head till that point, into words.

Till this day, I still remember the moment when I wrote down the words on the notebook cover,

"My Warld the number first"

That was the moment of me taking a small step towards being a future prospective author.

 

It was two weeks later when I realized that the word 'world' was written wrongly, and I didn't know what 'number first' meant.

The next day, I bought a second notebook, and wrote in hiragana, 'my world, 2nd volume',

 

Nitadori was laughing so hard she was breathless,

She continued to laugh, trying her best not to disturb the other passengers,

"Ah, so nice."

And I slowly drank some tea. Soon, the bottle of tea offered to me was empty.

There's a bottle of water in my backpack, but that's a drink I can't buy from anywhere, and it's water I need for medication. In other words, that's my emergency supply of water, so I decided not to open it.

Once the commotion caused by Nitadori finally calmed down, the cart selling goods in the train arrived, so I bought some tea.

 

The train entered the tunnel, and the carriage car became really noisy,

"Ah...so interesting...I never laughed this hard in so many dozen years! Thanks!"

Nitadori said emotionally.

I retorted in my mind <em>how old are you anyway?</em>, and answered,

"Sure, I guess."

"Ahh, I'm crying. I thought my contacts were about to slip out…"

"Eh?"

I tilted my head, and Nitadori gave a wry smile, saying,

"Ah, oh wait! I forgot that I switched to glasses already…"

She frantically tapped the sides of her glasses with her fingertips.

"Is your head alright…?"

"Wh-whose fault do you think it is?"

I was about to immediately answer 'it's me', but I changed my mind a little.

I thought she could at least take a little joke. I was originally inapt at saying such things to girls, but I decided to give it a try,

"I guess...it's probably 'my world'."

"Pfft!!"

And while waiting for Nitadori to recover, I continued to guzzle down potato chips and tea.

[[File:Toolong015.jpg|200px]]

The Limited Express continued to stop at a few stations.

After about midway through the ride, the passengers didn't increase as much as I thought it would. It was already dark outside the window, and the rain continued to pour,

Nitadori said,

"I understand the process that you started off enjoying your own imaginations, and then you gave yourself up, added the characters, and recorded all your imaginations. You're really good at explaining, sensei."

"Th-thanks."

This was the first time someone praised me like this.

"You told me about this because I wanted to know, so I should be the one thanking, thanks—now then, how did you start from this opportunity to begin writing light novels? When did you begin? Since you submitted a script for a contest and published books, you did finish the work; were you able to write it so fluently right from the beginning, or did you have difficulty? How many times did you submit entries for the newcomer award? Why did you choose Dengeki Bunko?"

And after the thanks, it was a rapid-fire of questions,

It's not difficult for me to answer, but I probably won't be able to remember all the questions.

I have to answer them all properly, in order.

First off—

Why did I actually convert my imaginations into words and write a novel? And when did it began?

To answer these questions,

"Erm, I just feel that no matter how many delusions there are, and how many settings I create and record in the notebook, those can't form a novel."

I first started off with these. It was to be expected; Nitadori nodded,

"And also, I feel that a lot of people simply end things off at this phase...I just feel that there are many more people who 'want to be authors, but simply stopped at the imagination', than those who 'aimed to be authors', and actually created some form of work."

Nitadori remained silent as she gave a frighteningly serious look, nodding slightly a few times.

"There are some who actually didn't write anything, just thinking 'I hope to be an author in the future'. I don't intend to say however that these guys are really useless, that they're just wasting their time."

Till this point, I still chose my words properly.

"This is because I can't belittle the past me now that I become an author. I feel that any person will have an egg within them, just that the time they will hatch differ."

I felt that I was being too pretentious, but I really can't think of any other good examples, so I was left without any other option.

"But to be an author, it is a necessary step to 'actually write your own story. Using that example from just now, it's basically trying to break an egg open from the inside."

I said as I looked back at myself, 4 years ago.

"I feel that the opportunity and time to begin writing novels differ amongst people. To be honest, I really don't know how others do it, but I do clearly remember my situation back then…"

After ending off with this opening, I proceed to answer Nitadori's very first question,

"I began converting my delusion notebook into writing, and worked hard in actually trying to create a work. It was—4 months after I first used the delusion notebook, and I remember very well that it was during my summer vacation in 8th grade."

Nitadori brought her face forward. This girl really has the habit of bringing her face forward whenever she's asking the questions.

"And that opportunity?"

I answered,

"When I obtained my weapons."

 

To be an author, there were 2 weapons I needed.

Of course, the first would be the imaginations I managed to develop from reading since young
and my delusions.

The other would be the weapon for writing, the computer.

During summer 3 years ago, when I was 14 years old, my mother wanted to buy something for me.

It was only during my birthday and Christmas that I could ask for something a little more exorbitant.

"Back then, I merely asked mom for books that were a little more pricey than normal…"

But that was the only year that was different. I told mom that I wanted a notebook computer, just the cheapest kind would do.

Mom rejected my request, probably thinking that I just wanted to surf the internet alone at home.

Prior to that moment, I learned how to use the computers in the neighboring library since 6th grade, as they had internet access, and I could check for books online and read the reviews.

However, there was a child lock in the library computers, and there's a time limit for use.

I guess mom was worried that I would get engrossed to the internet, that I would lock myself in the room, addicted to it or online games, and not go to school.

At first, mom said that a computer was expensive, and wouldn't buy one for me. Back then, I didn't have a cellphone.

Thus, I stated my actual thoughts.

I didn't need a network. The proof was that I agreed not to request for internet access. If I really needed it no matter what, I would head to the library next door like before.

I want to write a novel, I want to write one through a computer and a software that could manage my folders.

Having read through so many books, that was the point where I wanted to try writing for myself.

 

"And then...your mother's reaction was?"

Nitadori clearly knew the result, but she asked with a tentative look.

"She brooded over the issue for a few days, before finally agreeing to it."

"Ohh! Congratulations!"

"I really was happy about it. Of course, I thought that since people in the past wrote their novels on writing paper, I could do it too if I put in the effort."

While still respecting those who composed their stories hand written, I still wanted to continue on,

"But I feel that there's a difference in efficiency between handwriting and typing on the computer, and I'm not wrong to think this way. Ever since I became an author, I heard a lot of things about other authors, but I have never heard anyone say that they composed novels handwritten till this point."

"I see. So the opportunity that came for you wasn't a psychological one, sensei, but a physical one, huh…"

Nitadori succinctly summarized everything for me, and so I nodded firmly.

After I earnestly stated all the ideas I had about the computer, my mom finally agreed to it.

Thinking about it, I guess it was a good thing I said,

"I want to write a novel."

If, instead, I had said,

"I intend to be an author."

I suppose my mom's reaction would be a lot different.

My birthday came, and mom agreed to it, so we went off to buy one.

In any case, mom and I weren't very familiar with the functions, so she personally drove me to a major electronics wholesale store.

To summarize, I just needed to write a story fluidly.

As for the other functions, like being unable to watch television, use the wireless LAN, edit videos or play games—

I didn't need them at all.

Having made up my mind, I said this to the shop attendant.

And then, the middle-aged attendant asked my mother,

"Are you intending to write a novel in the future?"

Unabashedly, I answered from the side,

"Yes!"

"Wow! Now that's really amazing!"

The attendant was suddenly enthusiastic as he explained all sorts of various details to us discreetly.

"That attendant back then was really passionately...and he really helped me out a lot."

I began to keenly discuss the savior whose name and face I couldn't remember.

"Do you intend to use him as the protagonist of a novel?"

Nitadori chimed in such a suggestion.

"...Do you mind letting me jot this down in the notebook first?"

 

That attendant taught me a lot of things.

"Now then, it's your turn to teach me about them, sensei."

"Understood...do you have any intention to write a novel?"

"Currently not at the moment, but I want to know about it."

"Got it. First, the attendant told me—"

I didn't have to necessarily buy a new computer (that shop also runs a second-hand department).

He told me that if I was worried about the price, I could choose to pick up a second-hand computer that was certainly maintained.

"Well, that makes sense since the budget's more important. Did he tell you which computers are more suited for writing novels?"

"He did. There aren't any special models that are extremely suitable...but I guess you'll know that computers are generally classified as those desktop computers fixed to the table, and the notepad computers that can be flipped open. The attendant did tell me that the notepad computers are very convenient, that even if I don't bring it out of the house, it's easier for me to take it to any room."

"I see. I got a desktop computer at home and a personalized laptop. Most of the time, I do use that personalized laptop."

The attendant also told me that most laptops had internal batteries installed, and if there was a power outage, the damage caused will be minimal.

For those office workers who often had to bring their chargers along and use those in cafes, a light laptop would be of great benefit to them; for those that would typically use their computers at home only, it would be more suitable to choose one with a large screen and a wide keyboard instead of a thin, short one. Furthermore, external keyboards could be connected to it, and I could choose them according to my preferences.

"Oh, so a notepad computer can be connected to an external keyboard. I didn't know that."

"I did see an author actually do that, saying that he wanted a unique fan-shaped keyboard. Personally, I'm fine with the original equipment alone.

The attendant then told me that the computer operating systems could generally be classified as Macintosh and Windows, and that for beginners, Windows would be the way to go. (perhaps the Macintosh users will get up and shout 'I protest'!)

There was no need to be particular about the latest operating system. Naturally however, it's not a good thing to use a particularly old one till a point where the software compare had stopped providing services for it.

"I see. What about the key word processing systems?"

"He told me of two well known ones."

These two systems were 'Microsoft Word' and 'Just Systems — Ichitaro'.

The attendant did say that it was merely a question of preference, but many companies did have Word pre-installed in them.

"But in Japanese input, the attendant strongly recommended the 'ATOK'."

"A tok?"

I drew the letters out with my finger as I answered Nitadori,

"4 capital letters, A, T, O, K."

"I see. So what is the Japanese input system about? Though I do have a rough gist of things."

"To put it simply, it's an input system that can switch all the typed letters into hiragana, katakana and kanji. The computers sold in Japan would all have such a system installed."

However, Word itself did not have ATOK included, for ATOk was a software developed by the makers of 'Ichitaro', 'Just Systems'.

The attendant also told me ATOK is currently the smartest way of inputting Japanese, and literary writers had high praises for it. ATOK also had an electronic dictionary attached to it, and would show the meaning of the word when typing. If my budget would allow, this software would certainly be more convenient.

"Actually, most of the authors I know of are ATOK users. Of course, I don't understand anything about this, so he really helped me a lot out there."

Also, the attendant did tell me that the basic software wasn't very big (it didn't take up a lot of storage space), so I could save it in a hard disk, a memory card, or a USB drive.

However, any saved system may suddenly malfunction, so I need to have a spare backup every time.

 

"And just like that, I bought a computer for writing while following the advice from that shop attendant."

It was a second hand laptop produced by a Japanese manufacturer, and cost about 30,000 Yen.

The word processing unit I chose was a pre-installed microsoft word, and the additional ATOK electronic dictionary was purchased separately.

On top of that, I also bought a USB memory stick for storage.

To deal with any problems I may had, I also bought a manual for the computer and Word (I can borrow it from the library, but I still wish to have something like this with me around).

Also, I bought a game software, the only one I have.

It's a typing game, enabling me to input the words quickly and correctly.

"When I laid out every single thing I bought onto the table, I was really moved."

And from then on, I began to write.

I equipped myself with the weapons necessary for battle.

"In other words, you're like a delinquent who just got a bike, huh?"

"That's really a terrible example—but, yeah, I guess."

"How about the way to use it? Did you learn it immediately?"

"Well, of course. I was using it from morning till night during my summer vacations."

 

In any case, I read the books I had—

In the meantime, I began to actually use the computer and learn how to use the two common softwares, Word and ATOK.

And then, I began to play the typing game.

When entering the search terms in the library, I would type them with my two index fingers, slowly.

If I want to write a novel, how I typed would definitely would not be a match to my thinking speed. Even when I was writing out my thoughts, it was not as fast as the speed of my delusions, and I got increasingly irate.

When playing this typing game, I was serious no matter how many times I failed. From there, I learned the importance of the Home position and the correct way to place my fingers.

For the input methods, there was the 'romaji' input method which uses alphabets and the direct 'kana input'; I chose the former.

As for why that's the case, it's because I have less to remember about the position of the keys (but in contrast, the number of keys I have to type will increase).

After typing to a certain level of familiarity, I began to input the content of my delusions notebook into the computer, and began typing.

"Characters, main', 'heroine', 'sub characters', 'world setting', 'conversations'.

I proceeded to name my files, and entered them into Word.

Just as how it was writing the delusion notebook, I entered the words in a horizontal manner. I was already used to writing in a horizontal format, so till this point, I continued to write in a horizontal manner.

A computer's really a wonderful tool, but there are two points to pay particular mind to.

The first thing is not to let the computer malfunction.

A computer's just an important machine. It's a laptop, but I'll only use it in either my room or the living room, and never will I bring out out of the house.

The second is not to cause my vision to worsen.

Extraordinarily, this bookworm here had yet to worsen his vision.

Perhaps it was because I did abide by the rule 'to not read books in the dark'. Furthermore, the scenery on the streets was wide whenever I head home, and I typically look far away, I guess. On a side note, my mother's vision is rather good too.

My eyes really got tired (and my hands too) before I got used to using the computer.

I learned how to adjust the screen brightness and the font size according to my own preferences, and the situation improved somewhat; however, I did make sure not to stay in front of the computer for that long.

The scenery outside the house window's wonderful, and when I'm finally able to rest, I'll look out of the windows, coming up with all sorts of delusional settings.

I wonder how long did I look at that mountain altogether?

 

Once I got used to it, using the computer itself was really an enjoyable thing.

Once my typing speed increased, I was able to convert what I thought into words.

The computer's really a magical machine that converts my delusions into beautiful words. This tool has changed my life.

With that sort of attitude I had—

"So you managed it?"

Nitadori asked,

"Yeah, that's what I think now."

I answered.

 

And after I entered all 5 books of my delusions into the laptop, I again created another 2 books worth of delusions, and saved them.

After that, I decided on writing a novel.

"Now then, I'll try writing a novel. Time to write, write!"

My 8th grade summer vacation was about to end.

 

I already answered the question 'why did I choose to write, and when',

<em>"Were you able to write it all out at first? Or was it really difficult?"</em>

If I remember correctly, that was the next next question.

"Now then, I'll answer the question 'was I able to write it out at first'—"

"Yes, yes."

Nitadori, seated on my right, had her eyes under the glasses staring straight at me.

I didn't know what she was hoping for, but I could only answer honestly,

"I couldn't write at all."

"What?"

 

In my life till this point, the toughest point for me was the second semester of my 8th grade.

Perhaps there will be more trying periods in the future, good if it doesn't happen.

There wasn't any issue with my school life.

I'll still attend school every day. Though I'll lapse into delusions at times, I would attend classes obediently, and I would study obediently before the exams.

I still had no friends, but as it was the case normally, I didn't really mind.

The problem was writing the novel.

I learned how to use the computer, and did not suffer for that.

The delusions file accumulated quite a bit.

I did think of some characters I thought to be cool.

The settings database continued to accumulate and refined. I once created a history calendar for characters I created based on months, like 'he stood in front of the wet nurse at this year and month'. Thinking back about it, it really was rather hilarious.

However—

 

"I couldn't write a novel. Nothing at all."

"I see, how..."

Nitadori peered back at me with a worried look.

<em>Well, it's not like I can't write right now. You don't have to give me such a look here.</em>

 

I probably thought that I could write a novel as long as I had the setting.

I thought that if I imported the created characters, they would move on their own.

Since the characters popping out from the notebook would move and interact on their own, I just had to observe them and record their actions.

I may be boasting here, but I did think all the characters had their own charms, and they certainly would do things with much charisma.

That however was not the case.

In my eyes, they did seem to pop out from the words, standing there.

But they would not move. They were standing still, like puppets lined in a row.

It felt like I was writing an observation diary of a puppy, only to find that it was a puppy plushie.

 

It really was weird.

Till this point, was I not thinking of all sorts of delusions in my mind, how the characters' conversations go, how they look in their actions? They were fluent in their words, fluid in their actions.

However, even after inputting the character names as the pronouns on the blank white screen, I couldn't write the words behind. I couldn't think of what the characters would do next, so the characters still wouldn't move.

I once thought of lines I thought were interesting, and wrote a conversation.

And then I wrote a few of them.

However, a conversation between characters was just a single scene, and even if I did link them all together, that would not form a novel.

In the proceeding 1 month or so, I was brainstorming, racking my head hard in front of the computer screen.

I had the setting information, I could see the scene, and I could write the conversations.

However, I didn't know how to convert them all into a novel. I didn't know where I should begin.

The problem wasn't that I couldn't write a story.

The precedent problem was that, 'I didn't know what sort of a story I should be writing'.

 

I was unable to do what I wanted to do—

To say that it was arduous, well, it certainly was.

But even so, I won't die because of that.

Back then, I didn't intend to register for the newcomer award, and so there was no pressure in meeting the submission date.

Thinking back about it, I guess I'm really relieved that I didn't frustrate myself into getting dejected and thinking that I couldn't do it.

Summer passed, September went by, and it was the first Saturday of October.

"I can't think of anything yesterday. Let's not touch the computer for today."

Having such a notion, I escaped to a bookshop cum DVD rental shop that morning.

I intended to rent some movies I had yet to watch and bring them home.

Over there, I found a hint as to why I couldn't write a light novel.

 

"What is it?"

While Nitadori asked me with a shrill voice, I continued to sip the tea. My voice wasn't exceptionally loud, but my throat was parched after talking for that long.

Did I ever talk this much before? Probably not.

Did I ever talk this much to a girl before? Definitely not.

The second bottle's empty too. The train went through at least half the distance, and the now many street lights were passing towards the back outside the drenched windows.

Staring back at Nitadori's face, I answered nonchalantly,

"Erm, can we continue next week?"

"Ehhhh? There's still time, right?"

She glared back at me.

 

"Now then, let's continue. I'll start off with a question—if you want to rent a DVD, have no particular idea of what you want to watch, and intend to pick something that looks interesting, what will you do at this point?

"Erm...I'll look at the packaging."

"Yeah, that's what I'll do too. I'll look at the movie title, cover photo, have a rough gist of what the movie's about, and develop an interest. But if that alone still isn't enough to judge, what will you do next?"

"I'll...look at the back of the cover."

"Why?"

"Because the 'synopsis' is there, isn't it?"

"That's the clue I'm talking about."

 

The synopsis.

A simple paragraph that succinctly describes the plot of the story.

While looking for the synopsis of interesting stories that day, I was looking at the back of the cover.

Most of them would contain a brief summary of the movie plot, approximately 200 words in length.

For example, if there was a movie titled 'Kindergarten of the Dead',

"A rabbit with a zombie virus residing in it inadvertently entered into kindergarten○×, causing the unwittingly kindergarten kids to become zombies one after another. The only escapee, the kindergarten teacher Linda, began a lonely battle to prevent the zombies, still doing the same actions, from escaping the kindergarten. She tried to make them tired by preparing snacks and letting them play games that would distract them, and make them take naps like usual. However, she didn't know that her boyfriend Robert, working at the donut shiop, did a kind, unnecessary act of bringing some snacks in..."

The story would probably go like this. On a side note, that was what I just came up with.

"What's that about? I want to see."

Nitadori's eyes were blazing. I really don't understand her at all, but it doesn't seem like she hates zombie movies.

"No, this, really is impossible. That's just what I just spoke on the fly."

I'm really glad that she found it really interesting, but who exactly would come up with funding for this movie? I probably will develop this point into a point. Wait, there are so many zombie movies out there; maybe someone did film something similar, just that I didn't know.

"Leaving that aside—"

I divert my conversation back on topic,

"Back then, I read through the story synopsis of several DVDs, and to my great surprise, I found that I never paid any particular mind to the synopsis of the story."

 

I had many delusions in the past.

Whenever I remained awake, perhaps one-fifth of the time remained in delusions.

But those delusions were all settings, scenes and conversations.

None of those were things that were introduced in the synopsis, the 'plot'.

Even after repeating this scene in my mind regarding the story of 'the terrorist attack assaulting the Middle School'—

All I had been thinking about how the terrorists disguised themselves as milk sellers, the setting of the terrorists, the reason for attacks, all sorts of action scenes, and the various ways of death the physical education teacher would suffer no matter how hard he tried (I'm sorry), the decisive trap in the blackboard duster used for the last battle, and also the last scene with the protagonist returning home, saying "I'm back. Really tired here. What's for tea?"

These delusions only would only be mere parts.

They did not link at all.

Without being able to link, I wouldn't be able to complete the story.

And inside that empty DVD rental shop, I muttered,

"So I never thought about the story before..."

 

After that, I read through the back of the DVD packages.

I suppose I would be deemed as a weird middle school student who entered the shop the first thing in the morning, looking at the back of the packaging one after one. Till this day, I'm still grateful that the shop attendant didn't chase me out.

And I continued to read the 'synopsis'.

After being there for more than 2 hours, I didn't rent a single copy.

 

"I-I see...that's really amazing! So touching! Dramatic!"

"Ah, no, that's not really..."

I felt really flustered to have Nitadori hail me like this.

And then,

"Why didn't you figure out something like this in the first place?"

I figured that what she said then really was appropriate.

"Amazing..."

Nitadori looked very impressed, <em>So, what's next?</em> and then she prompted me with those looks.

"Ah, yes...I finally began to think of a plot, and recorded it down."

 

However, that itself wasn't a simple matter either.

First, the characters I thought of before had many settings to them.

These settings would obstruct me from thinking of the plot.

Whenever I thought of the plot, I would include those characters and add more parameters to them. I went through such setbacks countless times.

Finally, I decided not to include the characters in the plot.

I prevented them from appearing in my mind, ostensibly telling them, <em>Go sleep for now</em>, and I didn't open the file I had at that moment.

I continued to recall the many story synopsis I thought of, trying my best not to think of the characters I had—

The protagonist, heroines, rivals, last boss.

I tried writing the plot of the story through such a simple expression.

While pondering so hard about it, I suddenly had a story appear in my mind,

<strong>"The protagonist is a Middle School student, and on a certain day, he found a girl sitting at an empty seat in his class.</strong>

<strong>Nobody tried talking to the girl, and she appeared lonely. The protagonist decided to talk to her after school, and made friends with her. However, she only chose to talk to the protagonist after school in the empty classroom.</strong>

<strong>On a certain rainy day, after they both ended their conversations, the protagonist went home alone. Just when he was walking down the National Highway hillpath passing by the pedestrian pathway, he was suddenly pushed to the side from behind.</strong>

<strong>He looked back, saw the heroine, and a truck headed towards her while ignoring the traffic signals.</strong>

 

I deliberately ended my synopsis at this point.

"And then?"

As expected, Nitadori got baited. She leaned her glasses forward, giving a terrifying look.

"Erm…"

"You're teasing me now, right? —Ah, is that something you're intending to publish in the future or something…? Erm, sorry about that…"

I was hoping to give Nitadori time to guess the ending, but it seemed I caused her unnecessary misunderstandings and made her worry, so I frantically shook my head, saying,

"No, that's not it! Sorry! I'll explain it later—the truck veered off just like that. The protagonist thought that she would have been knocked away just like that, but he never saw her. She never attended school beginning from the next day. The protagonist found her photo in the library, and learned that she committed suicide on an incoming truck a long time ago at that pedestrian crossing."

"Ohh!!"

Nitadori began to clap,

"Hey, stop it!"

I hushed my voice, stopping her. And then,

"This story wasn't actually really that complete...but it was the first time I actually thought of an ending, so I couldn't forget about it...the ghost ending however was rather old-fashioned, and I really couldn't understand why the protagonist would be saved. In any case, if the protagonist wasn't talking to the heroine after school, he wouldn't be appearing at that time and place, right? What were the heroine's intentions?"

I pointed out the flaws in my created story as an example, and Nitadori said,

"That's true now that you mention it. When I was listening to it however, I didn't notice those flaws at all. It really was a touching story, you know?"

"I see. Thanks…"

"Since you did manage to complete a story of that level, I guess you definitely have talent! You'll definitely be an author in the future."

"Well...I'm already one."

 

On that day, I was still unable to finish answering all the questions.

The train entered the city, and was about to reach the terminal.

"See you next week."

Nitadori said, and I nodded my head,

"Sorry for keep you busy for that long. Do you still want those snacks?"

She continued, pointing at the other bag of potato chips.

There was no reason for me to reason. Since it was the sea salt potato chips, I would gladly accept them no matter how many they were.

I thought of eating the potato chips while watching anime in the hotel at night. I could watch anime than those in my hometown, and that was an added perk I was grateful for.

The announcement indicating the arrival of the train rang. Many passengers got off midway through; there were only a few passengers left, and they too got ready.

I suddenly wondered about something.

Where exactly was Nitadori staying at? Was it fine for me to ask such a private question however? She's a girl. Would I not annoy her in that case? Would I be frowned upon?

While feeling frustrated over this,

"I'll be staying at my relative's house."

Nitadori got up from her seat, saying this as she took her bag along. <em>Does this girl have esper powers,</em> I wondered again. She then continued,

"My relative stays at Mejiro, and well...to tell you the truth, that relative will be picking me up at the station…"

After seeing her give an unspoken apologetic look, I finally managed to interpret this atmosphere, a rarity at that.

I never been to Mejiro before, and I'm not particularly sure as to where it was in Tokyo, but I did hear that it's an upscale residential area.

It seemed Nitadori's family's really well off. Perhaps there were strict limits imposed on her, either in terms of curfew or friends.

And I then proceeded to mention the question i just thought of,

"In other words, if you continue to remain with me, and be spotted with me, things will get bad, right?"

"Yes."

Nitadori answered, giving a perfect English pronunciation.

"Understood. Now...do I get off first? Or—"

"Please do get off first. I really hope that even if we do pass by each other on a certain platform, you'll help by pretending not to notice me! Please do that!"

She raised a hand to beg.

Well, it wasn't some big deal, just similar to how it was at school.

"Understood."

I got up from my seat, took the backpack and shopping pack to the corridor, and then said,

"I'll be going then."

"Thanks. See you next week."

And so, I deliberately moved forward in this still moving train carriage.

<noinclude>
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|-
| Back to [[This_title_is_too_long!:Volume1_Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
| Return to [[I%27m_a_High_School_Boy_and_a_Bestselling_Light_Novel_author,_strangled_by_my_female_classmate_who_is_my_junior_and_a_voice_actress|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[This_title_is_too_long!:Volume1_Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
|-
|}

OreShura: Volume 7 Chapter 4

2015-07-06T00:46:23Z

Chocolatkey: Quick spell and gram

[[File:Oreshura_v07_085-084.jpg|thumb]]
==Chapter 4: Forceful Wife Leads to Mayhem==
This is the second time I am called to the roof by a girl, the first one being Hime.

No, if we count Chiwa’s “confession practice” during club activities, this is the third time. By looking only at the number, it’s from being popular, into becoming even more popular, but there isn’t even one serious confession. This time, it will probably be the same.

“Thanks for coming! Takkun.”

Under the bright autumn sky, Fuyuumi Ai energetically turned to face me.

“Why are you asking me out on such a cold day?”

The wind on the roof at four o’ clock is surprisingly cold. From the beginning my hands were freezing, and was rubbing my hands like an old man.

“But I don’t feel cold at all.”

Fuyuumi’s face looked slightly reddish as she muttered.

“Then, Ai-chan will share her warmth with you～♪”

She grabbed my arm and rubbed it.

“Do-don’t stick to me—! Get away!”

Although I instantly shrugged her away, but it really feels warm and comfortable. Close quarter combat is really dangerous, I will lose to A-chan’s softness.

“You know my reason for calling you out, right?”

“……you can say that.”

Most probably, it is about me and Masuzu breaking up.

“I won’t ask you why, although I have a lot to tell Natsukawa-san, but what’s past is past. But, I can treat that the contract is broken, right?”

“Contract?”

At this moment, Fuyuumi took a step forward.

Her face was so closed our fringe almost touched, and she looked so serious, my heart skipped a beat.

“Please go out with me, Kidou Eita-kun.”

“…..”

So, this is the reason?

“A-chan, I said it before. I didn’t stamp on the marriage registration certificate.”

“I know, you didn’t stamp it, you used your fingerprint♪”

“I said that’s not the case!”

This is too annoying, a marriage registration with a blood fingerprint, what’s this, a contract with Satan?

“Like what I said before, about the marriage, I won’t reveal it to the public before our graduation.”

“If it’s possible, I wish to never make it public.”

“But, a normal lover relationship is not a problem right? Because Takkun is already single.”

“……ugh.”

Damn, I have nothing to say against that.

Although it looks like a one sided blackmail from Masuzu to make me her fake boyfriend, but I received protection from that too. At least I used to have a reason like “I have a girlfriend” to reject others’ confessions.

But now, this shield has disappeared, and I can only fight them off with my bare fists.

“I don’t want to go out with anyone.”

“About this, although it isn’t nice to be listen to comments like ‘right after a breakup he is already going out with another!?’, but I think if we explain it properly, they will understand.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“The upperclassmen in the disciplinary committee are all rooting for us, there won’t be any negative rumours, and I will get Kaoru to help us too. This is better, I wanted everyone to attend the wedding in the first place♪”

Fuyuumi said while twisting around.

“If I can go out with Takkun, I think every day will be really happy. I will make lunch for you every day, and I already found a few places where we can have lunch together alone. Let’s study together after school? Actually, I have a café which I would like to go with Takkun, and……”

She was really happy while envisioning a rose-coloured future. So dazzlingly bright that you can almost see the rose in her eyes.

But I must remove that rose.

Although it hurts me to do so, but this is what I must do!

“I am actually ‘anti-love’.”

I said it……

I finally said it.

I have never actually told anybody about it, not even Chiwa or Kaoru, this is only between me and Masuzu, I finally said it.

Fuyuumi tilted her head in confusion.

“Clueless about love?<ref>Anti-love is “Renai Anchi”, Fuyuumi mistook it as “Renai Onchi”.</ref>

“It’s anti!”

But I won’t deny the fact that I am also clueless about love.

“My parents divorced when I was in third grade, because they both had extra marital affairs, so they left me and disappeared. This is why Saeko-san took over their role as a guardian.”

Fuyuumi listened to me attentively.

She didn’t look surprise, most probably because she already guessed it.

“What does this have to do with Takkun’s ‘anti’?”

“Before second grade, my parents were lovey dovey, even sweeter than what you said before. But in just one year, it turned into such mayhem. In the end they created a lot of trouble for the relatives, they left their work and family, and eloped with their new partners. I look down on these type of ‘love comes first mentality’ from the bottom of my heart. If they experience it themselves, anyone would have the thought of ‘why does love even matter?’”

“So, you became ‘anti-love’?”

“Yeah.”

“If so, why did you go out with Natsukawa-san?”

“……I can only say a lot of things went wrong, so our relationship didn’t last.”

“Hmm,” Fuyuumi muttered, but she didn’t probe any deeper.

“I don’t want to go out with anyone. I’m sorry, but I can’t accept your confession.”

I exhaled loudly.

I finished my speech with that.

It feels great to let out all the words piled in my heart.

“I see……”

Fuyuumi sound troubled.

“So something like this happened, must’ve been quite hard on Takkun.”

“Don’t talk about it anymore, it isn’t to the point where you need to sympathize with me.”

Having divorced parents are common, so I don’t think I am unlucky. In fact, I got Saeko-san to look after me, so this might even be my luck.

“You are right, I’m sorry I drew a conclusion myself.”

“I should be the one saying sorry for making you listen to such a boring story.”

Mmm.

With this I settled a problem.

Fuyuumi also seemed to understand, she was smiling, relieved.

“Therefore, I will stay by your side from now on. Let us try our best to take care of each other.”

“Yeah, don’t leave again.”

“The first place we should go—how about Gorgeous Tsuba Park? I heard that couples who go there on their first date will have a long lasting relationship.

“Oh, is there such a superstition?”

“Although it is slightly that if we think about those too much, but I think having the same belief is important for both of us. By slowly gathering small superstitions, it will become a bond one day—that’s what I believe in.”

I can’t help but chuckle.

“A-chan is really romantic huh.”

“Hmph—! Why is Takkun laughing! Idiot!”

She knocked my shoulder with her fist.

“Ahaha, that hurt, idiot.”

I punched back in return.

“Those who call others idiot are idiots themselves, idiot!”

Poka poka.<ref>I just took the original sound effect without changing it, no idea if it’s supposed to be the thumping of the heart or the punches.</ref>

“A-chan was the one who said it first.”

Poka poka, poka.

Fufufu, it seems to be warming up?

“Ahhhhh~where are you hitting? Pervert Takkun!”

“What, that isn’t considered as your shoulder? How is this perverted, if we put it this way A-chan is way more perverted. Take this—“

“Aahhh ♪ A-chan feels like she’s getting warmer—“

“Hihihi, then A-chan, let me make you warmer—wait,

WHYYY-------------------------------------------------------MM!?”

I accidentally made the “mm” sound by exerting too much strength.

“Why did it turned out this way!? I said I am not going out with you, didn’t I!”

“Takkun, calm down, you were totally messed up since quite a while ago.”

“You are the only person whom I don’t want to hear that from the most!?”

I think I am close to tears.

Although words are comprehensible, the reasoning is not, how horrifying……

“I understand that Takkun is anti-love, but after I heard all that I can’t leave you alone. I can’t leave you originally, right?”

“……huh?”

“Anyway, that’s all!”

Fuyuumi pointed her right index finger at me sternly.

The disciplinary committee mode pose that I haven’t seen in a long time.

“I will use my “love” to cure your anti-love, and let everyone witness it!”

When I returned to my senses, I was already stunned by A-chan’s face.

“…..ahhh……”

Yeah.

This is how A-chan is like.

Someone who takes her feelings very seriously, a nosy person.

“I think if you come in contact with true love, Takkun’s ‘hating something before trying<ref>Originally 食わず嫌い, literally hating a food before even trying it.</ref>’ mentality can be cured. It’s like watering flowers, if you put your feelings into it, a wilting relationship will also bloom!”

A-chan looked more motivated than ever before.

Why……

I already rejected her, why is this making things worse?

I don’t understand.

I don’t understand everything.

Love is too hard!

<center><span style="font-size: 200%;">♦</span></center>

The next morning.

I woke up to the smell of miso soup.

What a nice smell.

The miso soup I make of Kombu<ref>Seaweed, Saccharina japonica.</ref> stock, but this soup is made using anchovy stock. It smells great, I would have it together with grilled salmon and fermented soy beans.

Although I want get out of bed and straight to the living room…….today is just too cold, I don’t want to leave my bed.

“Takkun, it’s morning. Wake up.”

A melodious voice rang through my ears and heart.

“Just let me sleep for five more minutes.”

“No—pe, you can enjoy your breakfast slowly this way?”

Someone is shaking my body.

“…….what dishes are there?”

“Miso soup with tofu, omelette, and boiled spinach<ref>Hourensou no ohitashi is the name of the dish.</ref>. and grilled salmon～♪”

“If you add natto to it, I will wake up.”

“I guess it can’t be helped. I understand, let Ai-chan stir it up for you.”

“Stir it up huh—“

How exciting.

After stirring it for fifty times, the world will change, having a really strong flavour. With A-chan’s love that would make strength of a hundred people.

Wait—

“Why are you here!?”

First thing in the morning is nori tsukkomi in my room.<ref>The original sentence was 朝からノリツッコミｉｎ俺の部屋. Nori Tsukkomi is a form of tsukkomi where you go along with something that is off before throwing the punchline after some time. Basically a delayed tsukkomi, which happens frequently between Eita and Ai. Also notice that “in” is in English.</ref>

“Don’t surprise me by suddenly shouting.”

Fuyuumi Ai was wearing her uniform with an apron on top, and stared at me with widen eyes. I am the one who should be staring!

“How did you get in? Where’s the key? I should’ve locked the doors right!?”

Has the lovestruck brain deteriorated into a criminal!?

“I rang the doorbell like a normal person, aunt<ref>Oba-sama, respectful tone.</ref> opened for me.”

Ah.

“Saeko-san is back?”

I thought she would be staying overnight at her office as usual, to be awake at this time, she must’ve stayed up through the night.

“Now now, since you understand, hurry up and wake up, or else you’ll be late.”

Whoosh! The curtains were pulled open, and the sky was so bright I loathed it.

Is this a step in curing my anti-love?

<center><span style="font-size: 200%;">♦</span></center>

When I got to the living room, I saw Saeko-san smiling, seated by the dining table.

“Morning—Eita, how do you feel, having a girl waking you up?”

“My comfort rating has dropped by a lot!”

Although I wanted to try and shout for a bit, but on the table was some delicious looking full course breakfast. My stomach growled, and that calmed me down.

“Ahhh～this grilled salmon is perfectly～cooked! Convenience store can’t make something of this level.”

“Thanks for the compliment, aunt.”

Fuyuumi stood in the kitchen, smiling.

“Come on Takkun, take a seat. I will heat up the miso soup.”

“O,oh……”

I feel like everything is messed up.

The kitchen that is usually mine has changed hands, Fuyuumi was standing there, making it feel like this is someone else’s house.

Fuyuumi was singing “cooking is love～♪” while dancing back and forth between the stove and the chopping board. Grinding the carrot to mush, stirring the miso soup, and cleaning up. She did it beautifully, it seems that she is experienced.

“Takkn, how much rice would you like?”

“No—normal would do.”

“Okay, right up♪”, said Fuyuumi while spinning the shamoji<ref>A type of rice scoop.</ref>, even the “Gashakon” of opening and closing the rice cooker was rhythmical.

“How great.”

Saeko-san stirred her natto while complimenting her.

“A tsundere being bad at cooking is a basic setting, but you’re surprisingly good at this.”

“Ufufu aunt, I’m not a tsundere. If you really want to assign me to a trope—yup, it should be deredere. Because I am full with love for Takkun!”

“Oohhh, you have a point there!”

Hahahahahaha! Saeko-san and Fuyuumi’s laughs echoed around the living room.

What is this space<ref>Space as in 空間, can mean some sort of dimension, or just plain space.</ref>……

I feel like vomiting sugar, my stomach is upset before even touching the food.

“Saeko-san, what is going on?”

“Nothing much, I heard you broke up with Natsukawa-san?”

She stared at me with sharp eyes.

“Honestly, why didn’t you talk to me about this—your sister is sad. I thought you will talk about it with me first.”

“No matter how you think about it, there’s no such option…….”

Why would someone talk about their love live with their guardian, how embarrassing.

“I told you before, I am against you going out with that girl. Although I am fine with you going out with Chihuahua-chan, but tsundere girl isn’t bad either. Look at how well that “uniform apron” go together, I can’t hold myself back! Cosplay can’t even reach this level!

“Haa—”

Speaking of that, I remember Masuzu did come uninvited in her uniform and apron.

The apron was brand new, without dirt or creases, a new product that doesn’t feel homely.

But that was quite good too—although it’s different when Fuyuumi wears it. After repeated washing, the colour and pattern has faded. The apron is full of life from Fuyuumi’s family, coupled with the dark blue uniform, it creates a strong, attractive contrast.

“I am the one doing the housework in my family.”

Fuyuumi said while giving me a cup of tea.

She did talk about her mother’s passing before, and her knife work during summer camp was beautiful too, her experience in housework should be longer than mine.

“Is it fine, leaving your own housework like this?”

“Of course I made my father and brother’s breakfast before leaving.”

What time did you wake up.

I took a mouthful of rice, and—

“De—delicious!”

Both moistness and timing is perfect. It should be cooked with the same rice cooker, why is her rice so much better?

“For you, Takkun! I stirred it for you.”

She passed me the natto covered in cream-like strings.

I added the natto on the steaming rice, and stuffed them into my mouth. The special pungent smell was purified by the white rice, the strings filled my mouth, filling it with an indescribable taste. Rice, bean, rice bean, every time I bite on the bits with a different feel, a “how lucky am I to be born in Japan” happiness filled my heart.

“Eita’s stomach is so easily captured.”

Before Saeko-san’s voice brought me back to reality, I was busy stuffing natto rice into my mouth.

Fuyuumi grinned.

“Can I come over to make breakfast from time to time?”
[[File:Oreshura v07 101.jpg|thumbnail]]

“Of course I would welcome you—but, if Chihuahua know this, I don’t think she will stay silent?”

Saeko-san glanced at me, she really enjoys teasing me.

“I am not going out with Chiwa anyway.”

“Then there’s no problem!”

Fuyuumi happily returned to the sink, and started washing the dishes.

I am really grateful to her.

Although I am grateful, I still can’t understand anything.

I think eating a great breakfast and liking love<ref>Liking love, not liking Fuyuumi. Not to be confused.</ref> is two different things.

<center><span style="font-size: 200%;">♦</span></center>

The first line was Chiwa’s complaint.

“The mayhem between my childhood friend and my friend.”

While Fuyuumi was clinging to me as we were getting ready to walk out of the house, we met Chiwa who was also leaving her house. What a scary situation.”

“Hey, Ai, why are you coming out from Ei-kun’s house?”

“Isn’t that obvious? I made breakfast for him.”

Fuyuumi was clinging to my arm.

“It doesn’t matter, right? Takkun is single anyway, so I don’t need to care about Natsukawa-san. Of course, I don’t need your permission either!”

That line was full of challenge.

On the other hand, although Chiwa looked lost for a moment, but she remained calm throughout.

“Ei-kun, it’s great that you can enjoy your breakfast. It’s been a long time since you ate a nice breakfast, right?”

“Now that you said it, that’s definitely the case.”

Because recently my time spent up late studying has increased, so my breakfast is usually simple, some bread from the convenience store and milk, or just white rice coupled with miso soup.

“Although I can make breakfast for you, it is definitely not comparable to Ai.”

“Fufufu, Chiwa has improved a lot, but you still have a long way before reaching my level.”

Speaking of that, I remember Chiwa was learning culinary from Fuyuumi.

Although that’s the case…….

Surprisingly, Chiwa wasn’t mad.

If it was Masuzu, she would instantly create a mayhem.

‘Why are you coming out from Ei-kun’s house, you childhood friend thief!’

‘O—hohoho! That’s of course because I am his girlfriend, regrettable Chihuahua-san!’

It’s not that I want to boast, but I can totally imagine this scene, even imagining myself being useless between them.

Because the enemy is not Masuzu, she doesn’t have the will to fight?

Fuyuumi seemed to be thinking about that same thing.

“Chiwa, don’t you have anything to say?”

“Eh?”

“Even if I go to school with Takkun, you won’t bark at me, or bite me?”

“Compared to that, I have more opinions towards being treated like a dog.”

Although Chiwa stared at Fuyuumi with watery eyes, her expression instantly returned to usual.

“Instead—is Ai fine with that?”

Fuyuumi frowned.

“What do you mean?”

“Despite your relationship being long distant, are you fine with having an affair so openly? Are things stale between you two? He didn’t come back during summer vacation too.”

“So, what are you talking about?”

“You’re still asking me that……”

Chiwa looked at me.

Seeing that troubled expression, I understood what Chiwa wanted to say.

We said the same line almost simultaneously.

“Where is Murata Michel Daigorou?”

Fuyuumi face froze, still frowning.

Katakata! She started trembling.

Gashi! She covered her face and screamed at the cold morning sky.

“Ai-chan, setting epically forgotten---------------!!” <ref>Similar to her usual “愛衣ちゃん大勝利” (Ai-chan, Epic Victory!), this is 愛衣ちゃん設定大忘却</ref>

So she really forgot about it……

This girl forgets her own setting way too easily. Although she’s stubborn, she's usually honest and can’t really become a “liar”. Completely opposite from Masuzu.

“Err, ermmm, that’s, so, Michell, should I say he has almost disappeared<ref>Original word was 消滅, different from 消失, so instead of being “disappear”, it has a meaning of “destroyed” or “annihilated”, but can also mean “disappear”, but it is just not the most suitable word. Panic reaction possibly.</ref>—he didn’t call or message me recently, this won’t do. It must be Tokyo that changed him! The people of Kabukichou<ref>Red light district in Shinjuku, Tokyo.</ref>, the exhaust gas from Tokyo Highway, the electromagnetic waves of the Skytree<ref>Tokyo Skytree, world’s highest free-standing broadcasting tower.</ref>, all of it corrupted his heart!”

So she is saying that her breaking up is all Tokyo’s fault. Apologize to all the Tokyo citizens.

“So you broke up?”

“I, I dumped him!”

She wants to come out on top no matter what, how like A-chan.

“Because you broke up with Michel, so you want Ei-kun to become your boyfriend. Although it’s not wrong to say it’s like Ai to do so,”

“Tha-that’s not the case! I am not like those promiscuous women!”

Yeah, the thing light about A-chan is not her behind, but her brain.<ref>Promiscuous or slutty is written as 尻軽, literally meaning “light butt”.</ref>

“Then what is this? Two timing?”

“Like I said, no, no, everything is not like what you think it is—!”

Fuyuumi shook her head, with her eyes in tears, and moved backwards.

After piling lies after lies, the snowball is reaching a breaking point.

She looked so pitiful, and just as I was going to help her—

“Oh, right, I forgot I have disciplinary committee work! I am running to school—!”

Before I can stop her, she was already sprinting away in the direction of the school.

“Ai can run really fast—it would be great if she join the track and field.

“Although this is not the point you should be complimenting about.”

I sighed and walked forwards.

Chiwa followed me closely.

“I heard it will rain this evening, Ei-kun, you brought your umbrella?”

“I left mine in the classroom beforehand.”

“It might get stolen.”

“I prepared for that too, my name is written on top in huge.”

“Ahaha, how Ei-kun like.

A really boring conversation.

When I am with Masuzu, Hime or Fuyuumi, such conversation rarely happens.

“You weren’t angry just now.”

“Eh, angry about what?”

I asked her carefully why she wasn’t angry when I left my house with Fuyuumi.

“Oh, that”, Chiwa laughed.

“Because Ai is not Natsukawa.”

“…….and?”

“I don’t need to get so serious, although I can’t really explain it.”

What does that mean?

Although she sees Masuzu as an enemy, that isn’t the case for Fuyuumi?

“Also, if I fight with Ai in front of your house, you would be troubled, no?”

“That’s not wrong.”

It would leave a bad impression on the neighbors if mayhem occurred so early in the morning in front of our houses.

“I don’t want to trouble Ei-kun. That’s all.”

“Tha-thanks.”

Chiwa was thinking out of her way for me.

What is this feeling.

My nose is twitching, my heart feels warm……

“By the way, Ei-kun, did you lost weight recently?”

“Really?”

I think Masuzu said something like that before too.

Chiwa looked worried.

Although I wouldn’t like to trust Ai on this, but if Ei-kun can eat properly this way, then it’s fine. Losing something small to gain something bigger in return?<!—Check this please :o -->

Although I think the meaning is somewhat off, but I can feel Chiwa’s kindness from that.

Damn.

Why am I getting embarrassed? I can’t look at Chiwa anymore.

<center><span style="font-size: 200%;">♦</span></center>

When I was opening the locker, I found something different from usual.

“……hmm?”

My indoor shoes have become brand new ones.

In my locker wasn’t the old dirty shoes, but a pair of new ones.

Did someone made a mistake and took my shoes?

No, that’s probably not the case. If that happened there is no reason to put a new pair in.

“What’s wrong, Ei-kun? We’re running late.”

“No-nothing.”

Pressured by Chiwa, I wore the new indoor shoes, the size was perfect.

Although I didn’t suffer any real losses, I don’t really feel good about this……

[[File:Oreshura v07 111-110.jpg|thumbnail]]
<div style="background-color:#EEEEEE;border:solid 2px grey;padding:15px;width:70%;">
'''Shuraba Collection'''

'''～ShuraColle～'''

'''Submarine'''

'''Hime 666'''

'''Firepower''' 7

'''Torpedo''' 56

'''Luck''' 40

'''Armor''' 11

'''Primary Armament''': 61cm (C2) Torpedo

Hello from the bottom of hell～(No fluctuations in tone).

I hope everyone calls me Hime, this is the name of my soul(Look honest).

Look at this swimsuit Eita specifically asked for, full of beautility<ref>Not to be confused with beauty. Hime is a submarine right now, utility is important.</ref>?(Pleading)

The Torpedo of the sacred dragon shall carve victory into the horizon of dawn……(Reverberating)
</div>
<noinclude>

==Translator notes and references==
<references/>

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[OreShura: Volume 7 Chapter 3|#3]]
| Return to [[Ore_no_Kanojo_to_Osananajimi_ga_Shuraba_Sugiru|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[OreShura: Volume 7 Chapter 5|#5]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

User:Chocolatkey

2015-06-02T08:18:57Z

Chocolatkey:

The New Gate

2015-05-18T04:09:10Z

Chocolatkey: /* Chapter 2 */

{{Status|Active}}

[[File:The_New_Gate_V01_Cover.jpg|thumb|300px|The cover art of volume 1]]
'''The New Gate''' is a Japanese web novel written by Kazanami Shinogi (風波しのぎ).

==Synopsis==
"THE NEW GATE", an online game that trapped its players and turned into a death game, was now releasing the thousands of players that had been dragged into it, thanks to the efforts of Shin, one of the most powerful players. But after having defeated the last boss and freed everyone, he was swallowed up by a strange light and found himself inside the game world 500 years in the future and unable to leave.... (From Baka-Updates)

== Translation & Editing ==

=== [[The_New_Gate:Registration Page|Registration]] ===

Translators are asked to message [https://shintranslations.wordpress.com/ shintranslations] beforehand to avoid confusions.

'''Translators are asked to [[The_New_Gate:Registration Page|register]] for chapters they want to work on'''

=== Translators ===
[https://oniichanyamete.wordpress.com oniichanyamete]

[https://shintranslations.wordpress.com/ shintranslations]

===Guidelines and Formats===

*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=The_New_Gate:Names_And_Terms/ List of the Various Names and Terms]

== Original Web Novel ==

Original web published novel can be found here: [http://ncode.syosetu.com/n5711bb/ LINK]

== Updates ==
{{:The_New_Gate:Updates}}

Older updates can be found [[The_New_Gate:Updates|here]].

==Translation==
===Volume 1 - A Beginning and an End===

[[File:The_New_Gate_V01_Cover.jpg|right|frameless|200px]]

====Prologue and Chapter 1====
[https://oniichanyamete.wordpress.com/2014/11/29/the-new-gate-volume-1-13/ Prologue and Part 1]

[https://shintranslations.wordpress.com/2015/01/27/cont-the-new-gate-vol-1-chap-1/ Part 2]

====Chapter 2====
[https://shintranslations.wordpress.com/2015/01/29/vol-1-chapter-2-part-1/ Part 1]

[https://shintranslations.wordpress.com/2015/01/31/vol-1-chapter-2-part-2/ Part 2]

[https://shintranslations.wordpress.com/2015/02/07/tng-vol-1-chapter-2-part-3/ Part 3]

====Chapter 3====
[https://shintranslations.wordpress.com/vol-1-chapter-3-part-1/ Part 1]

[https://shintranslations.wordpress.com/vol-1-chapter-3-part-2/ Part 2]

[https://shintranslations.wordpress.com/vol-1-chapter-3-part-3/ Part 3]

====Chapter 4====
[https://shintranslations.wordpress.com/vol-1-chapter-4-part-1/ Part 1]

[https://shintranslations.wordpress.com/vol-1-chapter-4-part-2/ Part 2]

[https://shintranslations.wordpress.com/vol-1-chapter-4-part-3/ Part 3]

<br style="clear:both"/>

===Volume 2 - Wraith Plains===

[[File:The_New_Gate_V02_Cover.jpg|right|frameless|200px]]

====Chapter 1====
[https://shintranslations.wordpress.com/vol-2-chapter-1-part-1/ Part 1]

[https://shintranslations.wordpress.com/vol-2-chapter-1-part-2/ Part 2]

[https://shintranslations.wordpress.com/vol-2-chapter-1-part-3/ Part 3]

====Chapter 2====
[http://shintranslations.com/2015/04/29/the-new-gate-vol-2-chapter-2-part-1/ Part 1]

[http://shintranslations.com/vol-2-chapter-2-part-2/ Part 2]

[http://shintranslations.com/vol-2-chapter-2-part-3/ Part 3]

====Chapter 3====

====Chapter 4====

<br style="clear:both"/>

===Volume 3===

[[File:The_New_Gate_V03_Cover.jpg|right|frameless|200px]]

====Chapter 1====

====Chapter 2====

====Chapter 3====

====Chapter 4====

<br style="clear:both"/>

<references/>

[[Category:Light novel (English)]]
[[Category:Hosted Projects]]

Hai to Gensou no Grimgar

2015-05-06T04:25:13Z

Chocolatkey: /* Updates */

{{Status|Active}}

[[Image:Grimgal_V1_cover.jpg‎|thumb|x250px]]

Hai to Gensou no Grimgal (灰と幻想のグリムガル) is an action and fantasy novel written by Ao Jyumonji and illustrated by Eiri Shirai. The series has 4 volumes published so far.

'''Project hosted on [http://ojamajothetranslation.wordpress.com/ NanoDesu's website].'''

==Novel Summary==
Before Haruhiro had realized what happened, he was surrounded by darkness. Why was he here? Where was here? Even now, he still didn’t know. Those around him were the same as him, no one remembered anything other than their own names. And when they emerged from the darkness, the world that awaited them seemed like something out of a videogame.

In order to survive, Haruhiro forms a party with the others, learns fighting skills, and as a soldier in the reserve force, takes his first steps into the world of Grimgal. What awaits him there, he doesn't know…

This the story of an adventure born from the ashes.

== Updates ==
*12/07/2014 – Chapter 8 released.
*12/14/2014 – Chapter 9 released.
*12/21/2014 – Chapter 10 released.
*12/21/2014 – Chapter 10 released.
*01/11/2015 – Chapter 11 released.
*01/18/2015 – Chapter 12 released.
*01/25/2015 – Chapter 13 released.
*02/01/2015 – Chapter 14 released.
*02/08/2015 – Chapter 15 released.
*02/22/2015 – Chapter 16 released.
*03/01/2015 – Chapter 17 released.
*03/08/2015 – Chapter 18 released.
*03/15/2015 – Chapter 19 released.
*03/25/2015 – Chapter 20 released.
*04/05/2015 – Chapter 21 released.
*04/20/2015 – Chapter 22 & 23 released.

==The ''Hai to Gensou no Grimgal'' series by Ao Jyumonji==

This novel is hosted from [https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/ Nanodesu].

'''All main links below are external links to [http://nanodesutranslations.wordpress.com/ NanoDesu]'''

===Level 1ː A Whisper, an Aria, a Prayer, an Awakening===

[[Image:Grimgal_V1_cover.jpg‎|thumb|x200px]]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/color-illustrations// Illustrations]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-0-6/chapter-0/ Chapter 0]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-0-6/chapter-1/ Chapter 1: Without Knowing Anything]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-0-6/chapter-2-lost-and-out-of-options/ Chapter 2: Lost and Out of Options]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-0-6/chapter-3-yorozu/ Chapter 3: Yorozu]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-0-6/chapter-4-enjoying-life-in-a-guild/ Chapter 4: Enjoying Life in a Guild]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-0-6/chapter-5-rendezvous/ Chapter 5: Rendevous]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-0-6/chapter-6-1-1-warrior/ Chapter 6: +1/-1 Warrior]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-7-13/chapter-7-slow-start/ Chapter 7: Slow Start]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-7-13/chapter-8-persistence/ Chapter 8: Persistence]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-7-13/chapter-9-heavy-resolution/ Chapter 9: Heavy Resolution]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-7-13/chapter-10-damroww/ Chapter 10: Damroww]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-7-13/chapter-11-dont-go/ Chapter 11: Don't Go]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-7-13/chapter-12-where-to-turn-now/ Chapter 12: Where to turn now?]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-7-13/chapter-13-crucial-piece/ Chapter 13: Crucial Piece]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-14-20/chapter-14-silvers-gold-coin/ Chapter 14: Silver's Gold Coin]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-14-20/chapter-15-apologies/ Chapter 15: Apologies]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-14-20/chapter-16-aiming-for-the-top/ Chapter 16: Aiming for the Top]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-14-20/chapter-17-to-hold-dear/ Chapter 17: To Hold Dear]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-14-20/chapter-18-her-reasons/ Chapter 18: Her Reasons]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-14-20/chapter-19-ad-interim-tomorrow/ Chapter 19: Ad Interim, Tomorrow]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-14-20/chapter-20-not-quite-glories-of-the-goblin-slayers/ Chapter 20: Not-Quite-Glories of the Goblin Slayers]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-21-23/chapter-21-the-fine-line-between-innocence/ Chapter 21: The Fine Line Between Innocence]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-21-23/chapter-22-our-offering-to-you/ Chapter 22: Our Offering to You]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-21-23/chapter-23-prologue/ Chapter 23: Prologue]
<br \>

==Project Status==

Project Status: '''Ongoing''' by Nanodesu translations (hosted project)

[[Category:Hosted Projects]]
[[Category:NanoDesu Translations]]
[[Category:Teaser (English)]]
[[Category:Ao Jyumonji]]

Hai to Gensou no Grimgar

2015-05-06T04:23:33Z

Chocolatkey: /* Level 1 */ Completed chapters

{{Status|Active}}

[[Image:Grimgal_V1_cover.jpg‎|thumb|x250px]]

Hai to Gensou no Grimgal (灰と幻想のグリムガル) is an action and fantasy novel written by Ao Jyumonji and illustrated by Eiri Shirai. The series has 4 volumes published so far.

'''Project hosted on [http://ojamajothetranslation.wordpress.com/ NanoDesu's website].'''

==Novel Summary==
Before Haruhiro had realized what happened, he was surrounded by darkness. Why was he here? Where was here? Even now, he still didn’t know. Those around him were the same as him, no one remembered anything other than their own names. And when they emerged from the darkness, the world that awaited them seemed like something out of a videogame.

In order to survive, Haruhiro forms a party with the others, learns fighting skills, and as a soldier in the reserve force, takes his first steps into the world of Grimgal. What awaits him there, he doesn't know…

This the story of an adventure born from the ashes.

== Updates ==
*12/07/2014 – Chapter 8 released.
*12/14/2014 – Chapter 9 released.
*12/21/2014 – Chapter 10 released.

==The ''Hai to Gensou no Grimgal'' series by Ao Jyumonji==

This novel is hosted from [https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/ Nanodesu].

'''All main links below are external links to [http://nanodesutranslations.wordpress.com/ NanoDesu]'''

===Level 1ː A Whisper, an Aria, a Prayer, an Awakening===

[[Image:Grimgal_V1_cover.jpg‎|thumb|x200px]]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/color-illustrations// Illustrations]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-0-6/chapter-0/ Chapter 0]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-0-6/chapter-1/ Chapter 1: Without Knowing Anything]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-0-6/chapter-2-lost-and-out-of-options/ Chapter 2: Lost and Out of Options]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-0-6/chapter-3-yorozu/ Chapter 3: Yorozu]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-0-6/chapter-4-enjoying-life-in-a-guild/ Chapter 4: Enjoying Life in a Guild]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-0-6/chapter-5-rendezvous/ Chapter 5: Rendevous]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-0-6/chapter-6-1-1-warrior/ Chapter 6: +1/-1 Warrior]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-7-13/chapter-7-slow-start/ Chapter 7: Slow Start]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-7-13/chapter-8-persistence/ Chapter 8: Persistence]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-7-13/chapter-9-heavy-resolution/ Chapter 9: Heavy Resolution]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-7-13/chapter-10-damroww/ Chapter 10: Damroww]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-7-13/chapter-11-dont-go/ Chapter 11: Don't Go]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-7-13/chapter-12-where-to-turn-now/ Chapter 12: Where to turn now?]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-7-13/chapter-13-crucial-piece/ Chapter 13: Crucial Piece]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-14-20/chapter-14-silvers-gold-coin/ Chapter 14: Silver's Gold Coin]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-14-20/chapter-15-apologies/ Chapter 15: Apologies]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-14-20/chapter-16-aiming-for-the-top/ Chapter 16: Aiming for the Top]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-14-20/chapter-17-to-hold-dear/ Chapter 17: To Hold Dear]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-14-20/chapter-18-her-reasons/ Chapter 18: Her Reasons]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-14-20/chapter-19-ad-interim-tomorrow/ Chapter 19: Ad Interim, Tomorrow]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-14-20/chapter-20-not-quite-glories-of-the-goblin-slayers/ Chapter 20: Not-Quite-Glories of the Goblin Slayers]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-21-23/chapter-21-the-fine-line-between-innocence/ Chapter 21: The Fine Line Between Innocence]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-21-23/chapter-22-our-offering-to-you/ Chapter 22: Our Offering to You]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-21-23/chapter-23-prologue/ Chapter 23: Prologue]
<br \>

==Project Status==

Project Status: '''Ongoing''' by Nanodesu translations (hosted project)

[[Category:Hosted Projects]]
[[Category:NanoDesu Translations]]
[[Category:Teaser (English)]]
[[Category:Ao Jyumonji]]

Hai to Gensou no Grimgar

2015-05-06T04:23:06Z

Chocolatkey: /* Level 1 */ Completed chapters

{{Status|Active}}

[[Image:Grimgal_V1_cover.jpg‎|thumb|x250px]]

Hai to Gensou no Grimgal (灰と幻想のグリムガル) is an action and fantasy novel written by Ao Jyumonji and illustrated by Eiri Shirai. The series has 4 volumes published so far.

'''Project hosted on [http://ojamajothetranslation.wordpress.com/ NanoDesu's website].'''

==Novel Summary==
Before Haruhiro had realized what happened, he was surrounded by darkness. Why was he here? Where was here? Even now, he still didn’t know. Those around him were the same as him, no one remembered anything other than their own names. And when they emerged from the darkness, the world that awaited them seemed like something out of a videogame.

In order to survive, Haruhiro forms a party with the others, learns fighting skills, and as a soldier in the reserve force, takes his first steps into the world of Grimgal. What awaits him there, he doesn't know…

This the story of an adventure born from the ashes.

== Updates ==
*12/07/2014 – Chapter 8 released.
*12/14/2014 – Chapter 9 released.
*12/21/2014 – Chapter 10 released.

==The ''Hai to Gensou no Grimgal'' series by Ao Jyumonji==

This novel is hosted from [https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/ Nanodesu].

'''All main links below are external links to [http://nanodesutranslations.wordpress.com/ NanoDesu]'''

===Level 1ː A Whisper, an Aria, a Prayer, an Awakening===

[[Image:Grimgal_V1_cover.jpg‎|thumb|x200px]]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/color-illustrations// Illustrations]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-0-6/chapter-0/ Chapter 0]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-0-6/chapter-1/ Chapter 1: Without Knowing Anything]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-0-6/chapter-2-lost-and-out-of-options/ Chapter 2: Lost and Out of Options]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-0-6/chapter-3-yorozu/ Chapter 3: Yorozu]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-0-6/chapter-4-enjoying-life-in-a-guild/ Chapter 4: Enjoying Life in a Guild]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-0-6/chapter-5-rendezvous/ Chapter 5: Rendevous]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-0-6/chapter-6-1-1-warrior/ Chapter 6: +1/-1 Warrior]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-7-13/chapter-7-slow-start/ Chapter 7: Slow Start]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-7-13/chapter-8-persistence/ Chapter 8: Persistence]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-7-13/chapter-9-heavy-resolution/ Chapter 9: Heavy Resolution]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-7-13/chapter-10-damroww/ Chapter 10: Damroww]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-7-13/chapter-11-dont-go/ Chapter 11: Don't Go]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-7-13/chapter-12-where-to-turn-now/ Chapter 12: Where to turn now?]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-7-13/chapter-13-crucial-piece/ Chapter 13: Crucial Piece]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-14-20/chapter-14-silvers-gold-coin/ Chapter 14: Silver's Gold Coin]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-14-20/chapter-15-apologies/ Chapter 15: Apologies]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-14-20/chapter-16-aiming-for-the-top/ Chapter 16: Aiming for the Top]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-14-20/chapter-17-to-hold-dear/ Chapter 17: To Hold Dear]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-14-20/chapter-18-her-reasons/ Chapter 18: Her Readons]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-14-20/chapter-19-ad-interim-tomorrow/ Chapter 19: Ad Interim, Tomorrow]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-14-20/chapter-20-not-quite-glories-of-the-goblin-slayers/ Chapter 20: Not-Quite-Glories of the Goblin Slayers]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-21-23/chapter-21-the-fine-line-between-innocence/ Chapter 21: The Fine Line Between Innocence]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-21-23/chapter-22-our-offering-to-you/ Chapter 22: Our Offering to You]
*[https://grimgalthetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapters-21-23/chapter-23-prologue/ Chapter 23: Prologue]
<br \>

==Project Status==

Project Status: '''Ongoing''' by Nanodesu translations (hosted project)

[[Category:Hosted Projects]]
[[Category:NanoDesu Translations]]
[[Category:Teaser (English)]]
[[Category:Ao Jyumonji]]

Gakkou wo Deyou!

2015-05-04T10:42:00Z

Chocolatkey: /* Characters */

{{Status|Halted}}

{{Teaser|English}}

"Escape from School!" ("学校を出よう"; "Gakkou wo Deyou!") is a light novel written by Nagaru Tanigawa (谷川流), illustrated by Maao Aou (蒼魚真青), and serialized in Dengeki Bunko (電撃文庫).

== Introduction ==
A slapstick story that takes place in The Third EMP Academy (第三EMP学園), one of the academies for mandated custody of people (mainly teenagers) possessing superpowers called EMP. Basically the story is narrated in first-person perspective, but the narrator is not fixed.

There are currently six volumes published under the series, but rumor has it that the series would be suspended for the moment after Volume 6. Whether this is officialized is not clear, but there has been no sequel to the series since Oct 25 2004.

However, in the author's comments at the end of "Boku no Sekai wo Mamoru Hito" Vol 1, the author has expressed that he is still thinking about the storyline, so there are many fans who anticipate a sequel to the series.

== Titles ==
* Escape from The School
* I-My-Me
* The Laughing Bootleg
* Final Destination
* NOT DEAD OR NOT ALIVE
* VAMPIRE SYNDROME

== Key Terms ==

{| class="collapsible collapsed" style="text-align:left; margin:5px 20px clear:both; font-size:100%; background:transparent; width:100%;"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center"|

'''Key Terms'''
|-
|
* EMP
:Superpowers discovered among teenagers.
:Power usage and effect vary greatly, and there is no common way of discovering EMP.
:It is only recognized in Japan, and specifics are still not clear about such physics-defying phenomenon, the mechanism for discovery, and the exact span before EMP disappears.
:It has been around 30 years since the first case was discovered, and the percentage increase rises over the years. By the time the story occurs, there has already been several thousand cases of EMP.
:On average EMP is detected at the age of 14, and disappears at the age of 18. EMP holders above junior school are to be isolated in the Public EMP Academy, which includes high school and university, until the powers disappear.
:Due to information manipulation from government agencies, EMP's existence is unknown to all but those whose direct relatives are EMP holders.

* EMP Academy
:Public schools to bring children with growing EMP powers under custody. There are three schools, from the First to the Third.
:Children whose EMP powers were discovered would spend their school life there until the powers disappear.
:There are the junior high section, the senior high section and and the university section, among which the senior high has the most students, as EMP powers are discovered during high school on average.
:There is a lack of teachers (either former EMP holders or avid educators), so lessons are basically long-distance learning using monitors.
:The dorms are fully equipped and leaves are rarely permitted, so on the outside they look like isolated facilities.
:After the powers have disappeared, the students take exams of normal schools according to their grades at the Academy, and return to society.
;First EMP Academy

::The first EMP academy to be established. The atmosphere is "conservative to their majestic roots."

;Second EMP Academy

::The second EMP academy to be established. The atmosphere is "ambitious and striving for excellence." Mainly involved in events after Volume 4.

;Third EMP Academy

::The EMP academy where the story takes place. The atmosphere is "like a gathering of weak bubble-like second fiddles."
::The campus is very big, because a hill is leveled for its location.
::Student numbers have grown beyond original expectation, and the cafeteria turns into chaos during lunchtime.
::There are more happenings of sounentai compared to the First or Second EMP Academy.

* Sounentai(想念体, Materialized Willpower)
:Existence generated by residual energy radiated from EMP holders unnoticingly.
:Such existence rarely shows human intelligence in actions, and their actions are mostly antagonistic against humans.
:To prevent damage, the Student Association Security Department Operations Unit is responsible for subduing Sounentai.
:Physical attacks inflicts no damage on Sounentai, and Sounentai must to offset by EMP holder's willpower.
:However, as Sounentai is willpower residing on some physical cores, physical interference from Sounentai have powerful impacts.

* PSY Network
:The common name for psychic network, and was short-formed PSYNet.
:It connects and gathers consciousness of all EMP holders, and is the mutual-help structure that fosters absolute objectivity.
:Also, as Hibiki explained, "Haruna could exist as a phantom by utilizing the energy source from PSYNet."
:Because of this, distortion was introduced to PSYNet, and that was claimed to be the reason behind the world's modulation.
:The specifics are unclear, but a parallel world seems to exist, in which PSYNet functions normally.
|-
|}

== Characters ==


{| class="collapsible collapsed" style="text-align:left; margin:5px 20px clear:both; font-size:100%; background:transparent; width:100%;"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center"|

'''Characters'''
|-
|
* Yoshiyuki Takasaki(高崎佳由季)
:Grade 11 student in Senior High Section of the Third EMP Academy. Dorm master of boy's dorm Block B. Aged 17.
:He is the only one without EMP powers within the Third EMP Academy except the teachers.
:He is possessed by his sister Haruna, an EMP holder, and was enrolled in the Third EMP Academy when he entered junior high.
:He himself would want to get out of the Third EMP Academy.
:After the incident six years ago, his life has never turned normal again, and it is said he has shed off most of the humane emotions and desires.
:He is popular as the dorm master, but normal students keep a distance from him in fear of Haruna.

* Haruna Takasaki(高崎春奈)
:Younger sister of Yoshiyuki Takasaki, and twin sister of Wakana.
:She had passed away from a traffic accident six years ago, but she possesses Yoshiyuki as a phantom.
:Her EMP powers are mainly on establishing a inpenetratable invisible barrier, and psychokinesis normally referred to as "poltergeist."
:The defensive barrier is not as strong as that of Wakana, whose barrier was of the strongest level within the Academy, and she was powerless in front of Makoto, who is responsible for Yoshiyuki's psychological defense.
:She was able to possess Wakana's physical body, but it turns impossible when psychological defense is enforced.
:She can read a little of Yoshiyuki's thoughts. She can converse via willpower to Yoshiyuki, and Wakana when the twins are syncronized.
:Her physical appearance grows, but her mental age has stopped, and she loves small pranks.
:If she were alive she should be Grade 10, but for some reason she always appears in sailor uniform used in the junior high near their home.
:She does not exist upon a physical core, so she cannot touch or make sounds. Her body and clothes are translucent, and give a dim glow in the dark. She is capable to become completely invisible.
:She is quite jealous, and never allows any girls except Wakana and Makoto to approach Yoshiyuki.

* Wakana Takasaki(高崎若菜)
:Grade 11 student in Senior High Section of the Third EMP Academy. Younger sister of Yoshiyuki Takasaki, and twin sister of Haruna.
:Her EMP power enables her to surround herself with the strongest invisible barrier, inpenetratable to physical and psychological attacks.
:Her defense power is stronger than Haruna, but she cannot make any attacks, and she says "Barrier--" during summoning.
:She is cheerful and pure, and never hides anything.
:She is roommate with Maiko Koumyouji in the dorm.

* Makoto Shimase(縞瀬真琴)
:Student Council Secretary at High School Section, the Third Academy. Representative President after Hibiki disappeared. She was also the dorm mistress of girl's dorm Block A.
:She has very strong EMP power at telepathy.
:She not only can read the target's mind, but also can control the target's body, depending on the target's psychological state.
:She behaves like a nymphomanic every single time, but most of the time she plays the supporting but indispensible role.
:Her disastrous behavior and exceeding power scared off normal students, but from close friends like Yoshiyuki and Maiko she enjoys unfailing trust.
:The younger sister of Yuuya Nugimizu, she was once called by the codename "Apocalypse."

* Maiko Koumyouji(光明寺茉衣子)
:Grade 10 student in Senior High Section of the Third EMP Academy. Member of the Student Association Security Department Operations Unit and Yougekibu (妖撃部, Phatom Guerilla Unit). Class Riyou (理容).
:Her EMP power generates fireballs like fireflies that gets shoot and explodes at targets (only effective against Sounentai.)
:Her power is specialized for destruction, so she was enlisted in Operations Unit, and always gets commanded around by her partner Miyano.
:Instead of a uniform, she wears black Gothic-lolita styled costume, and uses very old-fashioned words.
:She believes she is always right, and wills to do it her way even if her actions are unreasonable.
:She is roommate with Wakana Takasaki in the dorm.

* Syusaku Miyano(宮野秀策)
:Grade 11 student in Senior High Section of the Third EMP Academy. Member of the Student Association Security Department Operations Unit and Kokumudan (黒夢団, Dark Dream Group).
:His EMP powers summons powerful existence, and can capture targets using chain-like existence summoned with a magic circle.
:His power is specialized in capturing, so he was enlisted in Operations Unit, and was also class monitor.
:At the Operations Unit he partners with Maiko, and commands everybody around, including Maiko.
:He always wear white outfit over his school uniform, and speaks pompously.
:He has absolute confidence in himself, and his thinking pattern bends other's malicious intents into good intents.
:Trouble occurs every time he pursues what he thinks is interesting, but his insatiable curiosity and ambitions reaches the very framework of the world.
:His Kokumudan is a circle researching on suspicious black magic.

* Tomohisa Hibiki(日比木朋久)
:Student Council President at High School Section, the Third Academy.
:He is the collection of subconsciousness from all students within the Third EMP Academy, born from the PSYNet.
:Because of that he acts in unpredicable ways that gives no impression of personal characters.
:He materialized using Makoto's power, but at the end of Volume 1 he lost his materialized form due to PSYNet's disappearance, and got reduced to the level of residual willpower.

* Yuuya Nukimizu(抜水優弥)
:A stray EMP holder not belonging to any EMP Academy. Makoto's elder brother. The two appear to be in bad relationship.
:He belongs to an illegal EMP organization, holds the title of "Mercurius Syndrome," and behaves like an instructor.
:The organization fights for EMP holders' freedom and social status, and resist governmental management.
:His EMP abilities is comparable to Makoto's, and appears in various forms like psychological manipulation and fire attacks.
:A clownlike character, he often shows up unexpectedly in front of Yoshiyuki, revealing his thought experiments that apparently has nothing to do with the storyline, and speaks in a misanthropic, decadent tone.

|-
|}

== ''Gakkou wo Deyou!'' by Nagaru Tanigawa ==
'''Teaser'''
* [[Gakkou wo Deyou! Teaser|Old Teaser]]

Forum translation done by [[User:Erehwon|Erehwon]]

* [[Gakkou wo Deyou! Volume 1 Prologue|Prologue]]

Forum translation done by [[User:EusthEnoptEron|EusthEnoptEron]]

=== Feedback ===

'''If you enjoyed the teasers, why don't you tell us in the [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=202 Feedback Thread]'''

== References and other information==
* [[Talk:Gakkou_wo_Deyou!#Reader_Comments|Reader Comments]]
* [http://mystery.parfait.ne.jp/wiki/pukiwiki.php?%C3%AB%C0%EE%CE%AE 書評Wiki 谷川流]
* [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%AD%A6%E6%A0%A1%E3%82%92%E5%87%BA%E3%82%88%E3%81%86! Japan wiki 学校を出よう！]

[[Category:Dengeki Bunko]]

Rokka no Yuusha

2015-04-29T04:36:45Z

Chocolatkey: /* Volume 4 */

{{Status|Active}}

[[File:RnY_V1_cover.jpg‎|thumb|Rokka no Yuusha Volume 1 Cover]]

Rokka no Yuusha (六花の勇者) is a novel series written by Ishio Yamagata and illustrated by Miyagi. An anime adaptation has been confirmed.

'''Project hosted on [http://rokkathetranslation.wordpress.com/ NanoDesu's website].'''

==Story Synopsis==
When the Majin awakes from the depths of darkness, the Gods of Destiny choose 6 heroes, granting them power to save the world. The young man who calls himself "world's strongest person," Adlet, is selected into this group of six, the Six Flower Heroes, and ventures forth to battle to stop the Majin's resurrection. However, at the appointed gathering place, why are there seven people? Right after, the Illusion Fog barrier is activated, shutting the seven right in the forest. They fall to the suspicion that one of them is an enemy. And then, the one whom that suspicion is most directed at is Adlet...

==Novel Summary==
When “The Majin” awakes the goddess of fate will choose six warriors and bestow them with the power to save the world. Somewhere on their bodies a crest in the shape of a flower will appear and as a result the warriors are called “The Heroes of the Six Flowers”. As the day of The Majin’s revival nears, Adlet, a boy who calls himself the strongest man in the world, is chosen as one of the “Six Flowers”. But when the heroes arrived at their designated location, they found that there were seven heroes present. Which meant that one of them was an imposter and an enemy. Confused by the impossible situation, suspicion and paranoia spread among the chosen. And within a thick forest, the heroes’ fierce battle begins!

== Updates ==
*20th January 2014
** Rokka no Yuusha Volume 1 Prologue Completed.

==The ''Rokka no Yuusha'' series by Ishio Yamagata==

This novel is hosted from [http://rokkathetranslation.wordpress.com/ Nanodesu].

'''All main links below are external links to [http://nanodesutranslations.wordpress.com/ NanoDesu]'''

===Volume 1===

[[Image:RnY_V1_cover.jpg‎|thumb|x160px]]
*[http://rokkathetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/prologue/ Prologue: The Forest of Certain Death]
*[http://rokkathetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapter-one/ Chapter 1:The Departure and the Two Encounters]
*[http://rokkathetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapter-two/ Chapter 2: The Gathering of the Six Flowers]
*[http://rokkathetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapter-3/ Chapter 3: The Trap and the Escape]
*[http://rokkathetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapter-4/ Chapter 4: Counterattack]
*[http://rokkathetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/chapter-5/ Chapter 5: The Time of Clarity]
*[http://rokkathetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/epilogue/ Epilogue]
*[http://rokkathetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-1/afterword/ Afterword]
<br \>

===Volume 2===

[[Image:RnY_V2_cover.jpg‎|thumb|x160px]]
*[http://rokkathetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-2/prologue/ Prologue: The Killing]
*[http://rokkathetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-2/chapter-one/ Chapter 1: The March to The Wailing Demon Territory]
*[http://rokkathetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-2/chapter-two/ Chapter 2: Mora's Secret Pact]
*[http://rokkathetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-2/chapter-three/ Chapter 3: At the Eternal Flower]
*[http://rokkathetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-2/chapter-four/ Chapter 4: The Sudden Change]
*[http://rokkathetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-2/chapter-five/ Chapter 5: The Truth of the Traitor]
*[http://rokkathetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-2/epilogue/ Epilogue]
*[http://rokkathetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-2/afterword/ Afterword]
<br \>

===Volume 3===

[[Image:RnY_V3_cover.jpg‎|thumb|x160px]]
*[http://rokkathetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-3/prologue/ Prologue: The Majin and the Flower]
*[http://rokkathetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-3/chapter-one/ Chapter 1: Reunion]
*[http://rokkathetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-3/chapter-two/ Chapter 2: The Blade Gem]
*[http://rokkathetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-3/chapter-three/ Chapter 3: The Wandering Heroes]
*[http://rokkathetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-3/chapter-four/ Chapter 4: The Anguish of Goldof Auorora]
*[http://rokkathetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-3/chapter-five/ Chapter 5: Battle After Battle]
*[http://rokkathetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-3/chapter-six/ Chapter 6: Everything for My Princess]
*[http://rokkathetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-3/epilogue/ Epilogue]
*[http://rokkathetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-3/afterword/ Afterword]
<br \>

===Volume 4===
*[http://rokkathetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-4/prologue/ Prologue: In the Underground Cave]
*[http://rokkathetranslation.wordpress.com/volume-4/chapter-one/ Chapter One: The Saint of Time and the Barren Flower]

==Project Status==

Project Status: '''Ongoing''' by Nanodesu translations (hosted project)

==Series Overview==
:*六花の勇者 1 - August 25, 2011 ISBN 978-4-0863-0633-1
:*六花の勇者 2 - April 25, 2012 ISBN 978-4-0863-0671-3
:*六花の勇者 3 - November 22, 2012 ISBN 978-4-0863-0710-9
:*六花の勇者 4 - July 25, 2013 ISBN 978-4-0863-0745-1
:*六花の勇者 5 - November 21, 2014 ISBN 978-4-0863-1008-6

[[Category:Light novel (English)]]
[[Category:Hosted Projects]]
[[Category:NanoDesu Translations]]

Tenkyou no Alderamin:Volume 1 Chapter 2

2015-04-28T14:23:54Z

Chocolatkey: removed double spaces and fixed stuff

==All Quiet on the Eastern Front==

[[Image:Alderamin v01 071.png|thumb|Crackle, crackle--with the sound of sparks popping, the young girl opened her eyes.]] It felt like she was being swallowed by cold, black, bottomless darkness.

There was no way to resist it. Being tossed about by the raging current with no sense of up or down, her eardrums screeching and shrieking with the pressure of the water- but more than that, the pressure of despair crushed her heart. Staring down the terror of death before your eyes for the first time since birth is not something you could possibly face with the power of reason.

The strength of her floundering arms and legs quickly exhausted. --As that happened, a light shone.

She could vaguely see that something was coming, traveling along a straight path<ref>written as: 光明 (bright light); read as: みち (path, road)</ref> that pierced through the darkness. At first, her arm was grasped- from there, her body embraced. She could hear the sound of a heart extremely close by. She could only think that it seemed the two of their pulses, passing through their touching skin, were synchronizing.

Inside her fading consciousness, she could tell that Death was clicking his tongue and growing distant from her as she was wrapped in light and warmth--

“...Nnn…”

Crackle, crackle--with the sound of sparks popping, the young girl opened her eyes.

Her view was dark. With a small open fire as the sole light source, in the center of the orange light, human silhouettes emerged. A handsome young man anxiously gazing at the fire together with a plump youth whose teeth were chattering. As she turned even more, there was an imposing female with hair the same color as flames sitting on the left end. She was closely hugging her partner, a spirit, whom everyone was sharing to warm themselves.

“...Ah! Were you woken up?”

With a gentle voice close to her ear, she gradually noticed that she was being held upright. There was a feeling of soft breasts on her back, and warmth was being distributed from the skin in contact with hers across thin undergarments.

“...You, are…?”

At her voice, before anything the red-haired female--Yatori rose and immediately knelt reverently.

“You were able to awaken, Your Highness, the Princess. ...Please allow me nothing but the privilege worshiping you like this.”

Except Haro, who was embracing the young girl, the other actors followed Yatori’s example and lowered their heads. Being shown respect from them, the young girl as well remembered, once more, her own rightful position.

“...You, raise your heads. It’s fine to eliminate etiquette- Under what circumstances...”

“Ah, as you wish. ...If I may explain concisely, during a boat trip headed to the venue for the High Grade Military Officer Exam, the Hirgano Archipelago, the boat which we happened to ride together encountered a storm and sunk. The only ones to narrowly escaped on lifeboat, were the six of us, including Your Highness. More importantly, after approximately two days of drifting, we drifted ashore a beach somewhere…thus, we are now living in an underground cave.”

Receiving Yatori’s report, the young girl widened her large eyes and sank into silence...after that, she took a full several minutes and organized her memories, making up for the gaps with the information she heard a moment ago.

“...I see, the ship… So that really wasn’t a dream?”

The unpleasant memory of being swallowed up by the pitch black ocean surface was brought back, and her shoulders suddenly trembled. Inside the layered outer garments she wore, Haro, embracing her small body, anxiously looked at her face from the side.

“During the two days of drifting, since the body of Your Highness, continuously struck by rain, became completely cold…this Haroma Bekkel and I, Yatorishino Igsem, had the honor of warming your body with our body warmth in turn. We were aware of our impoliteness, but for the lack of other methods, kindly pardon this much...”

“K-kindly pardon…!”

When Haro ashamedly lowered her head, the girl expressed a wry smile and shook her head.

“I am grateful from my heart for your kindness. With this one fragile body, I don’t doubt that I might have died of the cold before waking. ...Incidentally, you. You just called yourself Yatorishino Igsem.”

“Ah...”

“It’s been a long time. I visited your home on the occasion of the Imperial visit of the reigning emperor, is that already a story from eight years ago?”

At the few words the girl spoke aimlessly, Yatori lifted her bowed head without thinking.

“...You remember it? At that time, Your Highness had just become four years of age…”

“Counting traditionally<ref>数えで (old method of counting age where newborns are considered one year old, and years are added at every New Year)</ref>, you were 10 years old. You noticed me feeling irritated that my hand couldn't reach a plate, and you took baked sweets from the table for me. Did you also similarly recognize my appearance?”

All the same, the girl herself knew that it might be an unjustifiable story. Yatori smiled vaguely and answered.

“Compared to that time, Your Highness exceeded my imagination and grew splendidly, so… Your golden-colored hair and the Katjvanmaninik<ref>written as: 永霊樹 (Eternal Spirit Tree); read as: カトヴァンマニニク (Katjvanmaninik)</ref> engraved ring, if I had been negligent in some respect to even one of them, I wouldn’t have been able to be certain.”

That said, the girl pulled her left hand from an opening in the outer garments she wore layered together with Haro. What she fitted onto it was a ring plated with a design of the Eternal Spirit Tree, which served as the symbol of the Katjvarna Empire.

“...Indeed. This person is the third Imperial Princess of the present Katjvarna Empire, Chamille Kitra Katjvanmaninik.”

Except Yatori, who was half-convinced, the other actors appeared to realize that the existence in front of their eyes was nobility with a self-introduction from the mouth of the person herself. After a dignified silence, the one first of all to start the conversation was Torway.

“...I’m Torway Remeon. I meet you for the first time, Your Highness, Princess Chamille.”

“Umm, you’re the youngest of the Remeons. I’ve also heard rumors of you.”

“It is an honor. If it pleases you, if you would allow me just one inquiry…”

Without waiting for the end of Torway’s proposal, Her Highness, the Princess, began to answer in a firm tone.

“If it’s the reason that I happened to board the same ship as you did, I’ll answer without needing to be asked. In light of the worsening of the state of war with Kioka, as an extension of Imperial Family, I came to see the faces of the young people burdened with the future of this nation. It is also encouragement to the test-takers. It is nothing more or less than that.”

“But, any accompanying military officers or...?”

“Don’t finish your question. It's obvious that they sunk to the bottom of the ocean together with the boat.”

Somehow, there was an obstinance in the tone of Her Highness, Chamille- who'd anticipated and answered the question- that didn’t allow her scene partner to challenge her. ...But if there had been escorts, it was troubling that they didn’t see anyone near her both when they met on board and when she came onto the deck. Torway kept that doubt inside his chest for the moment.

“I-I’m called, Matthew Tetdrich. Your Highness, the Princess, a-also allow me, a few words, if…”

While his well fleshed-out body, clung to tightly by a wet shirt, was trembling, Matthew timidly cut into conversation. The gaze of Her Highness, the Princess, turned to him.

“Tetdrich… That is a pedigree entrusted with the Stationing Unit of Ebdorch Island in the Southwestern part of the Empire. I learned your name as well. If there is something you’d like to ask, then do as you like, Matthew Tetdrich.”

Yatori, who was next to her, admired Her Highness, the Princess, who had fluently stated a summary of the Tetdrich Family, for her extensive knowledge. On the other side, starting to make his way over, Matthew himself, seemingly without the time to even notice that he'd met a scene partner who knew his family name, faintly choked out a plea from his discolored, purple lips.

“I-if your body is s-sufficiently warmed, if you, would n-now r-r-return the outermost layer, you’re wearing, m-my coat…”

Hearing that, Her Highness, the Princess, then noticed for the first time that the outer garments of everyone in that area were lent for the purpose of warming herself. As one would expect, Haro, thinking that it was inexcusable, panickedly restrained the girl trying to slip out from inside the layered garments which substituted for blankets.

“Kya- y-you shouldn’t come out! Both the Princess and I are only in our underwear, you see!? Yatori-san, please return Matthew’s clothing to him!”

Nodding, Yatori retrieved the just the outermost mantle and returned it, well-dried, to its owner. Merely taking advantage of that, Matthew, wrapped in the middle of superior fabric and seeming to devote all his effort into not losing body heat, didn’t say anything since.

“Ah, the Princess’s clothing is also mostly dried…   Then, I think that it’s a little difficult to do, but could we have you change clothing like this?”

“If it is your wish, then we don’t mind dismissing the males. Well, but there is a storm outside.”

At the appearance of Yatori speaking cruel things with a smile, Matthew’s body trembled violently for a reason other than the cold. Her Highness, the Princess, refused her proposition- which wasn't good material for a joke- dismounted from Haro’s lap while wearing too much clothing with an unexpected promptness, and stood on the ground with her own legs for the first time in two days.

“Umm… I don’t feel unwell. I wonder if it’s because you warmed me.”

“That is above all, but now for a while, please be located near the fire. Under these conditions, if a cold or the like is caught by Your Highness, there’s nothing that can be done, even by us.”

Her Highness, the Princess, obediently complied with Yatori, who requested politely, but in a firm tone. Since sitting on the bare ground meant that her lower back would grow cold, she sat back down Haro’s lap in the end.

They surrounded the open fire in silence for a while, but Her Highness, the Princess, suddenly opened her mouth with a face as if she had been struck by lightning.

“...That’s right. I wonder if, the time the ship sunk, the person who rescued me when I was thrown out to the ocean is among us? There’s no mistaking that you all are the benefactors of my life, but I particularly want to express my thanks to that person. Come forward.”

“.... Please wait a moment.”

Rising, Yatori slipped out of their circle around the open fire and walked into the pitch dark depths of the cave. As a replacement for her disappearing figure, the sound of a limp, heavy object being kicked echoed across accompanied by a scream.

“Wake up, Ikta. It’s a call from Her Highness, the Princess.”

“...Have her reschedule. For me to meet with a party without an appointment... oof.”

The same sound and a yell echoed back three times. As for whether the ordeal was finally over, a youth with a hand affixed to his hip like an old man worrying over lower back pain, naked above the waist and wearing a light spirit in a pouch, revealed his form.

“...I’m Ikta Solork. Thanks, Your Highness, the Princess- in a good mood?”

“How- so there was another person? Then, you’re the one…?”

“Well, it was the spur of the moment, or should I say, I was the right person at the right time….   Since I was the only light spirit holder…”

Dressing up formally with a shirt handed to him by Haro, Ikta, in a dreadfully inappropriate gesture, bowed to Her Highness, Chamille. Although in actuality, that was just him being kicked from behind by Yatori.

“I see. In any case, I give my thanks, Ikta Solork. In addition, to your partner, light spirit-dono as well. After I’ve safely returned to the capital, I’ll arrange for due compensation regarding your brave deeds.”

Kusu raised his head from inside the pouch. However, Ikta was sitting cross-legged at the moment.

“Then, it’s best if you can return safely, isn’t it...somehow…”

“Ikta. Stop speaking in a way that meaninglessly agitates anxiety.”

Yatori advised in a low voice. However, it was after her scene partner’s anxiety was already agitated.

“...It’s possible that return can’t be realized, you mean?”

“For us- who don’t know where this place is- quite so. It was fortunate that we were able to drift ashore while still alive, but even so we were carried away for a full two days in the middle of a storm. ...although on the way, I saw the sun come out in the upper right front side of boat’s course, so I just know that we were carried to the northeast.”

Ikta’s tone was trivial, but there was no aspect in contents that was glossed over with optimism. When Her Highness, the Princess, sunk into silence, Torway stood up to change the atmosphere, which had become considerably heavier.

“It seems the sound of rain has grown weaker. We also need to confirm the present location, and if that means going to observe outside, then perhaps we should go now. --Ik-kun, if you like, shall we go together?”

“That nickname, you really don’t learn…”

Even while grumbling, Ikta stood up with surprising obedience. With each of their spirits stored in their hip pouches- after Torway took up his own bag in addition to that- the two lined up and left the cave.

The time appeared to be early morning since the sky was already bright, and the pounding storm had weakened to the degree of a light drizzle. Brushing aside thickets, Ikta and Torway pushed their way through a trailless forested region that spread along the beach. During that, they had some slight conversation.

“Thank you for coming with me. To be honest, I wondered if Ik-kun wouldn’t think this was too much trouble.”

“Since Matthew was in that state of health, and the girls were needed for the Princess’s protection, the lineup was decided by the process of elimination, right? I slack off when I need to slack off, but at times when if I slack off I’ll die, I’ll work.”

It was a twisted argument, but Torway never disliked that character of Ikta’s.

“So, about Her Highness, the Princess… Ik-kun, what do you think?”

“Even if there are suspicious points, I think that it’s best not to make any strange investigations. At best, you’ll get trapped in a bad situation.”

“Aw, right to the core of things. When you talk with me, you won’t return with humor?”

“I deliberately flip a switch. Even if I’m the funny man here, Yatori<ref>written as: ツッコミ役 (straight man role); read as: ヤトリ (Yatori); generally, the two members of a comedy duo are known as the straight man （ツッコミ） and the funny man　（ボケ）</ref>isn’t with me… ah, I found something good.”

Ikta, finding a fruit-like object hanging from poison ivy, plucked it and threw it over to Torway. While biting into his own share, he explained.

“It’s the insect trap of the pitcher plant. When it ripens and becomes used for attracting insects, it’s not good anymore, but if it’s before the mouth has opened, the fluid inside can be used for drinking. It’s surprisingly sweet, so give it a try.”

“...Ah, it really is. It’s tart and delicious.”

“Put some in your sack for me. It'll tide us over until we find real food.”

Unable to put anything in their mouths outside the water created by Haro’s water spirit, everyone in the cave was being tormented by hunger. Torway merrily took down the sack from his back, plucked the insect traps within reach, and began stuffing.

“But, you and Matthew both are people I look up to. Since, even when the ship we boarded sank, you carried those heavy things out with such great care.”

What Ikta meant was the iron, gun-like thing inside Torway’s sack that conspicuously asserted its existence. The firing of leaden balls with the pressure from using a pump such as that installed onto the "wind tunnel" in abdomen of his partner, a wind spirit, was the main weapon of modern-day soldiers-- so to speak, it was an air shooter barrel.

“Haha. I considered it a little, but I thought that thinking about whether or not it’d be a burden and throwing it away could wait until after we boarded the lifeboat. Since, for me, an applicant to the Air Gunner Division, it’s the most important thing next to the lives and partners<ref>written as: 精霊 (spirit); read as: パートナー　(partner)</ref> of my allies.”

“Although it would be nice if we didn’t run into circumstances where that’d serve a purpose. At any rate, ahh I’m hungry…”

Throwing away the insect traps that had their contents sipped dry, Ikta and Torway, while listening to the chorus of the insects inside, they hurried ahead.   While looking at a compass so they could move forward in a straight line and lose their way, they emerged to a grassland that interrupted the forested region in about 15 minutes.

“...We’re screwed.”

As his field of vision was being suddenly cleared, Ikta surveyed the area and thus complained as the first thing out of his mouth. Coming a little later, Torway, upon witnessing the same sight as he did, was at a loss for words.

There was nothing surprising regarding the terrain. Extending considerably from east to west, an open field with a few undulations sprawled out uninterrupted. However, on the ground on the west side which they were supposed to follow back-- in addition to a natural mountain range and hills, something else stood as a further obstacle.

“...There’s no way…. I mean, that’s the west side…no matter how much we were carried off, this…!”

Even Torway, who had boasted a composure rivaling Yatori’s until now, couldn’t suppress the trembling of his voice this time. Displayed in his view were barbed wire entanglements running perpendicular to the shoreline that divided the open field in two, and within them, separated by fixed distances and dotting the area one by one, turrets meant for watch-keeping. From the closest one, he could even see the figures of actual soldiers coming in and out.

“...Somehow, it doesn’t seem like a delusion. The eastern border of the Katjvarna Empire, if it’s from here, we can see to the western side. Meaning, basically…”

In any case, as to not be found by the guard soldiers, the two hid their bodies in the shadows of the trees. --First three clicks of his tongue. Then he huffed out a single sigh, generously blended with resignation until he was satisfied, and-

“This place is already territory of the Kioka Republic… it’s regrettable, but it looks like we’ve descended into hell but for a paper-thin difference.”

Ikta Solork described a reality similar to his own personal nightmare with quite a simple metaphor.

Due to the report spilled from the mouths of Ikta and Torway once they returned, the atmosphere of inside the cave, far from becoming lighter, instead welcomed an increase in pressure to one similar to lead.

“...That… to think we were carried off to the other side of the national border.”

Haro murmured with a paled face. Matthew, who just finally warmed his body, also let out a scream.

“Dammit…How can it be like this? Just when I thought we made it through…”

Regardless whether that was good or bad, Matthew’s words spoke for everyone’s true feelings. Even the great Yatori was silent as if there was a need to rethink her words of encouragement. Before that, Ikta acknowledged the circumstances.

“Because it turned out like this, the options that we can actively select are limited. So before anything, concerning that point, I think it’s wise for us all to establish a common goal.”

Without waiting for a response, Ikta raised his right and left index fingers and held them up so they could be seen by everyone.

“The first, surrender to the Kioka Army and request reception as prisoners of war. Well, if anything it’s relatively reliable.”

A heavy silence filled the cramped space. There was not one person among them attracted to that option.

“The second, cross the national border and return to the Empire with our own power. This one’s quite the gamble, no?”

Talk was cheap. When they considered the difficulties of putting it to action, no one could easily give their support.

After having a not-brief pause for consideration, appearing to be speaking timidly, Matthew opened his mouth.

“I-if we become prisoners of war, with the wartime treaty, our safety is guaranteed. Of course, we might be confined, but if we wait for a while, wouldn’t we be able to return to the Empire via a prisoner exchange...?”

Rather than a view grounded in reality, it was a wishful observation. Yatori shot it down completely.

“Still, that’s too optimistic, isn’t it? I think that even people without self-awareness are among us, but for the moment we are High Grade Military Officer cadets bearing the future of the Imperial Army, right? Just that is reason enough on Kioka's side to not want to send us back… even if you leave out that point- and this something including myself- among us, there are too many people who can serve as material for diplomatic exchange.”

“That’s true, isn’t it? Not even mentioning Her Highness the Princess, there’s Yatori-san, a descendent of the Igsem Family, and me, a descendant of the Remeon Family… under any circumstances, high prices would be set for these three as prisoners. Say for now that we are able to return, how much compensation will be required?”

“Goodness, people with high prices on their lives really suck, don't they?   We can’t even secure our self-interests how we want to.”

Not one person had the composure to respond to the cynical remark which Ikta, with a stunned expression, had uttered.

“Well, that’s it in a nutshell, my buddy Matthew. Even if we become prisoners of war in this place, we won’t be returned that easily to our country<ref>written as: 帝国 (Empire); read as: くに ((mother) country)</ref>, and say we were returned, then quite the cost would be wrung out for us. And you should imagine the narrowness of our shoulders among other things once we’ve return to our country. ...Well, in addition, the situation if we choose this option<ref>written as: 捕虜　(prisoners of war); read as: こっち (this direction/one)</ref>, we can only hope that the people of Kioka won’t find the Tetdrich Family’s fame as hot information, right?”

Even reaching this point, there was no escaping the harshness of the sarcasm from Ikta’s words. Matthew held his face and agonized, but, the next moment, a roar sounded across the cave as if to drive off those worries.

“Things like prisoners of war-- this isn’t a joke!”

Her Highness, Princess Chamille, doing well to vigorously stand up, shouted with a look menacing enough to shake the flame of the open fire. Even as astonished gazes gathered on her, she still didn’t loosen her tone.

“There is no time to be stranded in a place like this! I- I must return as quickly as possible! Forget guard soldiers- cross the border using any means necessary! You, listen, in the event of our success, whatever reward- mmph!?”

At that moment, impolite to the extreme, two fingers pressed directly down on the lips of the tirading princess. While the other actors were dumbfounded, Ikta was looking down on the nobility in front of his eyes with a horribly cold expression.

“Quiet down a little, Princess. No matter how much you rant and dangle an extravagant reward in front of our noses, there’s no making the impossible possible. That degree of reason is something I’d like you to learn from history. That is, from our<ref>written as: 帝国 (Empire); read as: ウチ (we, us)</ref> history of repeating the same things to a sickening degree.”

“---H-how…!”

Having called him the benefactor of her life, the princess overlooked his shameless rudeness until now, but still, she was at a loss for words with this contempt. Since it escalated higher than she could handle, she didn’t know what to say back right away. In the end, there wasn’t a need for her to say anything. Since, Yatori, who broke in between them, twisted Ikta’s arm up and pulled his body to the ground without warning.

“--Your Highness, this thing has committed a grievous irreverence. Upon my word, he won’t speak such profanity a second time, so this time if you could somehow be merciful. In light of this thing’s service at the time of the ship sinking.”

While using enough strength to make his bones creak and his joints produce an unpleasant grinding sound, Yatori begged forgiveness in an unstrained voice. At her terrifying power, the princess forgot her fury and only shook her head vertically.

“I-t’s fine…. Certainly, it seems that I lacked composure…”

Ikta, having received forgiveness, was finally released from her defense technique. He stood without groaning once, but he was holding his twisted shoulder and seemed to be enduring considerable pain.

“You’ve reflected, haven’t you? Once you’ve given thanks for Her Highness’s generosity, go cool your head outside a bit.”

“Roger that.”

Leaving behind a reply which didn’t suggest that he’d reflected at all, Ikta left the cave together with Kusu. When his figure disappeared outside, Yatori turned to everyone remaining and made a single proposition.

“Whatever choice we make, there’s no point if no one has normal powers of judgment. It’s impossible to try to have a constructive discussion while hungry. For now, how about prioritizing our immediate survival and gathering food?”

“...Yep, I approve. If we can fill our stomachs, surely a good plan will come to mind.”

Following Torway, Haro and Matthew also agreed one by one. The last remaining, Her Highness, Princess Chamille, with the fiery haired girl’s intense eyes in front of her, had no other choice but to nod.

Ikta, chased out of the cave, began a food supply to satisfy his hunger without even being prompted by someone else. He appeared twisted on the surface, but, fundamentally, he was only moving according to the three main desires, and his behavioral principles were simple.

“Hm~m, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attalea_cohune cohune palm] nuts sure are hard to harvest without a tool…”

Palm trees laden heavily with nuts were standing here and there, but he let them be for now and looked at the ground. When he concentrated his eyes intently, inside the damp brushwood, the living creatures of the forest, having greeted the morning, were moving around.

“Ah, he~y snake-san over there, quietly become meat for my plate, would you?… wha, you're long! S-s-s-so you were a python-sama? No, that- sorry, it was nothing.”

Watched intently by a scene partner of unexpected size, Ikta withdrew dejectedly. Ikta didn't possess the nerve to grapple with a three meter class serpent. Since wearing a snake around one’s neck among other things wasn’t considered very fashionable.

“In times like this, maybe I should follow Mother Nature’s heartless principles, and aim for weak things rather than big game. ...Oh, I found a grasshopper. Al~right, if I fry and eat this one, it’ll smell pretty good...”

“This is only fine for us, however. Insect eating is low-class cuisine, so Her Highness, the Princess, will definitely reject it.”

As he continued chasing grasshoppers around on all fours, the voice of his friend, who not long ago mercilessly wrenched his shoulder to its limit, rang out from behind. Ikta continued his acquisition without turning around, but Yatori continued speaking regardless.

“That affair earlier wasn’t very like you. Even if he spits out sarcasm as easily as breathing, the one who'll never get physical should be Ikta Solork, right?”

“Rather than being flawlessly consistent, it’s more charming for a character to be agitated once in a while.”

“Even if that’s the case, we can’t have your true character exposed here, can we? Show yourself taking a solid, composed action during a pressing state of emergency. There isn’t another appeal as effective as that, you know.”

Strangely, the exchange of words with Yatori in the leading role stopped there. There, with a bundle of grasshoppers in one hand and his back turned to his scene partner, Ikta began a soliloquy.

“Even like this, I’m reflecting, you see. I had the background knowledge that my scene partner was nobility, but I didn’t think that being flustered by someone in front of you would make me feel so aggravated.”

“That’s what I thought.   ...So you can’t forgive a person of the ruling class behaving unintellectually?”

“Even though I was supposed to have given up a long time ago. Since nothing would happen even if I didn’t allow it.”

Ikta gave a self-deprecating sigh. Yatori opened her mouth after choosing her words a little.

“...This is a slightly irreverent way of saying it, but the behavior of Her Highness, Chamille- before suggesting whether the Imperial Family is this way or that- is appropriate for her age. No, just not bursting in tears with these circumstances is a sufficiently considerable thing, don’t you think?”

“Right, that’s it. For someone like me, just saying that I had royalty for a scene partner is the best two-thirds of me. --Ah, by the way, if you have a knife, lend it to me?”

When Ikta skillfully turned around while crouching, Yatori, who was standing there, had unnoticedly armed herself with equipment without her clothing being disheveled in the slightest. She wore a saber on her right hip and on her left hip, a　[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parrying_dagger#Main_gauche main gauche].

This was the two-handed swordsmanship stance that became the reason for the “Igsem of the Blade, Remeon of the Bullet” fame rivalry. As the air shooter was to Torway, this to her was the next precious thing to her life- the object of her pride.

“If you nick the blade, I’ll kill you.”

Even so, Yatori extremely easily removed the main gauche that was half of that pride from her hip and granted it to Ikta. Of course, she wouldn’t allow that just anyone. However, concerning the strength of their relationship of mutual trust, there were parts that somehow exceeded the understanding of other people.

“So everyone’s assembled. Well then, please report each of your harvests.”

When the sun that was above the horizon had risen directly overhead, all six people assembled in front of the cave and contributed the results of their search for food. On top of the grass, flora and fauna of delectable color and form were lined up.

“Umm, since I wasn’t very good at chasing my scene partners, who moved around, I tried gathering focusing on fruit and mushroom species. For mushrooms, with the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boletales Boletales] supply as my focus, I gathered large, filling ones, but fruits were more of a problem, and…. At first, I thought that I might find bananas or papayas, but in actuality these were the only things I could harvest.”

What Haro, saying that with a bit of a wry smile, was pointing at were fruits resembling orange bell peppers. There was easily enough for the number of people, and the vibrant, warmly-colored rind did indeed seem delicious. Her Highness, the Princess, having an interest, picked one up from the middle and looked at it.

“What kind of fruit is this? I haven’t seen it before…”

“Ahh, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cashew Caju], right? Well, rather than being inedible, isn’t it a hundred times more preferable? It’s precious carbohydrate after all.”

Everyone excluding the princess shared a forced smile. On her clueless behalf, Haro added an explanation.

“Princess, you’ve eaten cashew nuts before right? Those are a part of this fruit’s seed.”

“Oh, cashew nuts? If that’s the case, you seem to have an expectation for the taste?”

Not saying much, Haro only suggested, “Have a bite.”

As told, the princess, putting the orange fruit into her mouth, creased her brow and stiffened the moment her teeth bit into the surface. Her mouth regained freedom with about 30 seconds after apparently quite some difficulty biting through.

“How is it, Princess?”

”...It’s hard...puckery...grassy…. ...And, somewhat sweet…”

Despite being simple, the impressions hit the mark. When he felt for the first time that the atmosphere of the area relaxed even slightly, while the mood had yet to change completely, Torway took over.

“With that, I think it’s my turn next. Simple preparation in addition to good flavor, the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_crab coconut crab]. Although since it’s the afternoon, I could only catch two.”

Two enormous, bundled creatures resembling hermit crabs were laid out side by side on the grass. Voices of admiration spontaneously rose for them. Coconuts crabs hid in burrows in the ground during the afternoon. To be able to catch them, it was necessary to find the entrance to the burrow and dig them out, but that wasn’t an easy task.

“...The middle of the day, moreover in this short time, two specimens of this size? You’re not half-bad...”

Yatori was watching Torway with burning eyes, but the person himself, embarrassed at being watched by Yatori, averted his eyes and repeatedly scratched his face. They were two people on completely different wavelengths.

“With that, I’m next. ...It was a close fight, but I plan to be the first to take responsibility.”

Giving that introduction with a broad grin, Yatori walked off to a nearby bush and came back dragging her own prey out from there, which she’d hidden aiming for a surprise.

Shouts of joy rose immediately.

“Ehhh!? I-is that a wild boar...!? No way, how did you with just one person…!”

“One stroke of a sword at the nape of its neck… if you look, that’s the only wound. That being said, did you really use that sword…!?”

Yatori, having gathered looks of awe to herself, threw her chest out with pride. For her, who had been in a class of her own from the start, admiration and respect- if she could receive those two things, the more she received, the greater her priceless reward was.

“...Next is me, isn’t it, as I expected…”

At a glance, Matthew was in low spirits. Looking at the harvest he brought in, that could also agree.

“Although I’d like to proceed that way… This, what is it? Three smallish palm nuts, that’s fine, but the rind is broken and the juice inside all but leaked outside, isn’t it? I’m curious what kind of harvesting method you used for it to end up like this.”

“.... When I tried to harvest palm nuts, they were in a higher place than I thought. Since they didn’t fall even when I threw rocks, I thought I’d rather try to shoot them down...”

His partner, the wind spirit Tsuu, turned to Matthew from his hip pouch with anxious eyes.   Even with everyone saying nothing, his eyes and the air shooter barrel worn on his back his told the entire story of his failure.

“...My buddy Matthew, every tool has has its uses. You can’t fire your gun to reach a solution for everything, you see. That kind of random shooting spree, without mincing words it’s something third world countries do.”

“Y-you’re the last person I wanna hear that from! Aren't you worse off than I am?”

Quite the dangerous joke slipped out of Ikta’s mouth, but before anyone noticed, Matthew’s shout changed the conversation’s target. Cold stares were concentrating on Ikta’s harvest, piled in a mountain his feet.

“...Cicadas, grasshoppers, long-horned beetles, water scavenger beetles, giant water bugs, every kind of caterpillar…. How should I put it, that, it’s an extremely wild line-up, isn’t it...”

“W-well insects were the most convenient source of protein. Don't you think so?”

“And frogs…? You considered preservation and dried it, well, can I give you an evaluation?”

Although Ikta received a very delicate evaluation, the person himself whistled with his face without eating. Her Highness, the Princess, looking at the food he gathered, lost some color in her face and timidly asked a question.

“Y-you, eat this...? That is, how should I say it, are they really insects…?”

“Of course I eat it. This is my personal opinion, but giant water bugs are so disgusting I could die.”

“Hey- that’s where you should smooth things over! ...Your Highness, the Princess, please relax. Since even if you don't touch the insects, there is flexibility in the food we have."

Her Highness, the Princess, breathed a sigh of relief. Putting the ingredients they scraped up in front of her, Haro got fired up and rolled up her sleeves.

"With that, shall we immediately prepare some food? Even if I say that, although since we don't have a pot, we can only basically fry it. If we use things like leaves and clay cleverly, I wonder if we can manage something like steaming in a covered pot...?"

"Putting aside the part we could eat now, I'd like to smoke the boar meat, but sending up conspicuous amounts of smoke isn't the best. Matthew, Torway, can have your partners suck in the smoke?"

When the cooking began under Haro and Yatori's leadership, nice smells immediately began to drift around the cave.

The performance of Haro, who'd been entrusted with the cooking, was surprisingly good, and when the sun began go down, they were able to take a late lunch. With the sensation that they were being restored to life, the six people stuffed their cheeks with their first decent meal in roughly two days.

"The meat is delicious~ You didn't even add any seasonings, but when I bite through, strong flavor comes out..."

"The steamed mushrooms and coconut crab are pretty good too. If I have any complaints, there isn't enough salt."

"If you boil sea water, you can get it easily, but if we go out to the shore, there really is too much of an unobstructed view. It'll be bad if we're found by Kioka soldiers watching from the national border, so I guess we'll make do with the taste of the raw materials here.”

Surrounding all sorts of menu items which were placed on leaves and lined up on the ground, they continued a harmonious dinner within their limitations. When some time passed, Matthew, who suddenly regained energy with food in front of him, began revealing his positive view on his failures until now.

“I’ve been thinking the whole time, you see, since we have two air shooters here, isn’t it possible to even cross the national border depending on how we do it? Since somewhere on the long border, there has to be a place where their guard is understaffed.”

“When your stomach is full, you sure become cocky, don’t you? However, just listening to Ikta’s story- perhaps Kioka is focusing their course of advance to the side of the Empire in this area- their defense seems quite strong. Even if we walk along the national border to a place where their surveillance becomes thin, I think the odds are 10 to 1 that we’ll be discovered enroute.”

Matthew, having received Yatori’s relentless criticisms, folded his arms and hummed. Next to him, while tossing grilled grasshoppers into his mouth, Ikta inserted his remark.

“We can’t take crossing the national border lightly. With that, a chance of success is born only after there is an assistant to both this side and the other side of the line. We don’t have that person. Although preferably if we can bribe a soldier it’ll probably be quick, but concerning goods that might turn into money among these members’ belongings…”

Ikta’s eyes were turned to the hand of Her Highness, the Princess, picking at the coconut crab meat- to be exact to the small ring fitted onto it. Speaking of straightforward valuables, that fit the bill, but still it was too much.

“...It might be a stretch to try and bribe the Republic’s soldiers with a ring openly engraved with the Imperial Family crest. If that’s the case, it’s still realistic to sell Yatori’s two blades. The craftsmanship is plain, but that, it’s quite a sharp blade right?”

“Oh, what an expert eye. Who was it I wonder who was allowed to prepare a frog with that sharp blade?”

“It was you used it to bring down a wild boar, no? A blade is a swordsman’s life.”

It was Ikta’s hypocritical excuse, but at any rate, there was no change in that it was insufficient as bribery material.

With the topic about to be paused since everyone was thinking, Her Highness, the Princess, who had been silent until now, opened her mouth for the first time.

“...Whether we’ll cross the national border on our own, or content ourselves as prisoners of war. Everyone has been contributing wisdom for a while, and when a plan where we can expect an adequate chance of success emerges, or if possibly nothing emerges, I want the decision made properly. ...The reality is that nothing changes no matter how much shout.   I trust your judgment power and effectiveness.”

Hearing her speech, the other actors stared at the princess with surprised expressions. Ikta’s abusive words became a point of regret for himself who had spoken them, but they seemed to have also prompted the side that heard them to some reflection. In any case, that she was moved a small degree from the discussion was a desirable thing. Since, from a genuine standpoint, no matter what kind of unreasonable demand was spoken by Her Highness, the Princess, the others had to obey.

“...As Her Highness said, there’s no need to rush the decision, right? We can’t be leisurely about it, but let’s thoroughly take time to decide. Since we can’t be easily found here, and in terms of environment, the difficulty of survival isn’t that high. I think it’s fine if we have take one or two days as thinking time.”

Everyone agreed to Yatori’s words and established a lengthy grace period for the present.

When lunch ended in the middle of an atmosphere which was quiet in its own way. The actors, having recovered their energy and stamina, were outdoors each spending time on work for securing and maintaining their living space. But--since that was the case, because she had neither survival knowledge nor experience, one person emerged twiddling her thumbs.

“--Yatori, what is that used for?”

While idly coming and going in and out of the cave, Her Highness, Princess Chamille talked to her scene partner who continued her manual labor in silence. Not stopping her hands which proceeded with their work, Yatori turned just her face toward her scene partner. Her partner, the fire spirit Shia, also sent an indifferent gaze from her hip pouch.

“Yes, Your Highness. I’m making a simple alarm device that uses nuts and string. If we lay this around our surroundings, when someone comes close, the nuts of the tree hanging down near the entrance of the cave will make noises and alert us.

Yatori’s answer was crisp and fluent, already just like a soldier’s. When the princess tried to say, “is there something I can help with,” she had already finished her work and promptly stood up vigorously.

“Then, I’ll install the finished product and come back. I apologize for forcing your inconvenience, but please don’t go out further than the range visible from the cave.”

When she confirmed that her scene partner nodded, Yatori jauntily turned her body around and disappeared into the trees. Her Highness, the Princess, having once more lost her place, drew closer nearby Haro, the sole remaining person of same gender.

“Haro, what are you doing?”

“Ah, Princess. Umm, now I’m making medicinal plants that are effective for swelling into a paste. If you are cautious about injuries, you can avoid them, but you can’t do that as much for insects bites.”

On top of a stone with a sunken center that she must have chosen on her own as a substitute for a container, Haro was grinding leaves, roots, and the like. Her partner, the water spirit Miru, was standing on the stone’s edge, and occasionally poured water from the “water spout” on his torso, helped Haro make smooth paste.

“Is there something, that I can also help with?”

“Huh? No, no, that’s- to borrow your hands, Princess! Please go on resting!”

“I-I see.”

Compelled by Haro’s intensity, who was rapidly shaking her head horizontally, Her Highness, the Princess, with neither knowledge nor experience at hand, withdrew unable to say anything. Something that even I can do-- while thinking that, she shifted her gaze to another place.

“Oi, Torway. That air shooter, isn’t the barrel a little too long?”

“Umm… It’s because I want to aim accurately as far as possible, and I can’t no matter what with something shorter than this. Although if I were a hunting soldier, who’d have to shoot while charging, as Maa-kun said a shorter one might be better.”

Tsuu and Safi, the two wind spirits, while sucking in smoke, were sending out fresh air and controlling the open fire. Around there, Matthew and Torway were holding their air shooters in their hands.

“...Mmm.”

Even here, she didn’t feel that she could easily force her way in. After hesitating and hesitating, she reluctantly chose Ikta Solork, who was sitting slightly removed from the cave’s entrance,

“...Solork. If you’re doing something, is there something I can also help with?”

Her calling of this just scene partner by his family name and not his first name expressed her complex mental state. But then, the person who was called, without an indication that he sensed that, continued his manual labor without looking aside.

“Nn, you’ll lend me a hand? I’m weaving these vines like this.”

When she looked into his hands, he knitting sturdy vines together and making some sort of woven object. Concluding it might an animal snare or something, Her Highness, the Princess, learned by imitation and took part in the work.

“Right, right, like that. There isn’t really a need to make it pretty.”

“I see, understood.”

It was her first experience with the likes of making something with her own hands, but once she understood the trick, the task wasn’t that hard.

While moving her hands on the object in silence without any conversation, the princess repeatedly stole glances at Ikta’s face.

He is an oblivious male, she thought at first. Considering those rash remarks from earlier, and that he let me help with the work normally, I wonder if he doesn’t differentiate between social statuses at all.

“Your hands stopped moving, you know.”

Finally, the directness of even giving that reminder. The princess, unembarrassed, eagerly wove the vines. After about ten minutes, their whole-hearted work came to fruition, and the thing the two of them were making was finished.

"...Solork, what is this? It doesn't seem like it's wide enough for a net."

"It is an essential item necessary to a human lifestyle, much more than a net is. Will you try using it?"

Saying that and standing up, Ikta cleared a suitable space, chose two standing trees, and stretched the woven vines between them like a spiderweb. Looking at the readied object, he nodded with satisfaction.

"It's pretty good craftsmanship. --Well, go on."

"'Go on'... you say, but-"

Being urged on was fine, but this was comparable to a situation where nothing could be done since Her Highness, the Princess didn't know what the thing was used for at all. As she stood still with a confused face, Ikta took the initiative and went out before her.

"Put your hips in a little. You use it like this, see."

He agilely placed his hips on the vines, and using them as a pivot point to rotate his body, turned sideways with his body swinging between the trees.

Watching that figure, Her Highness, the Princess, finally enlightened about what it was used for, thought of the time and labor that was spent and hung her shoulders.

"...A bed, right?"

"It's something called a navy purveyor, that is to say, a hammock<ref>written as: 吊るし式寝具 (hanging-style bedding); read as: ハンモック (hammock)</ref>. When you get used to it, it's quite comfortable."

[[Image:Alderamin v01 101.png|thumb|Ikta clapped his hands for the princess who somehow succeeded in lying down.]] He spoke while skillfully climbing off using movements reversed from when he got on. Ikta recommended the,-as he put it- "essential item necessary to a human lifestyle" to Her Highness, the Princess, a second time. The princess was a princess, and- drifting toward the idea that she wanted to take back at least the cost of her help- timidly placed her hips on the hammock.

"Right, right, now as if straightening your body with your hips as an axis-- Oh, wow, you were able to get on without a problem, weren't you?"

Ikta clapped his hands for the princess who somehow succeeded in lying down. She was made to feel ridiculous, but she, experiencing a hammock's snugness for the first, didn't have the time to say something about it.

"Although, beginners usually overturn once when getting on. Your highness is pretty talented."

"Were you hoping that I would overturn just now...? H-however this doesn't suit me. Rather, I'm afraid it might fall. I can't believe there are actually people who can sleep on this."

"Don't be so nervous, please relax your strength in the most stable position. Rather than laying out leaves on the bare earth and sleeping, I think you know that this is much more comfortable."

She adjusted her body position, and at the end of her troubles, when she found a position that couldn’t possibly unstable, the princess made up her mind and dismissed the strength from her body. For a moment, she that that she might overturn, but the makeshift hammock was unexpectedly taking her her body weight securely.

When she overcame the first hurdle, the composure to simply enjoy the circumstances
was finally born in the princess. First of all, her perspective- that itself was fresh. The well-bred princess hadn’t had the experience of lying down outdoors until now.

The pleasant sound of leaves rustled in her ear, and the blueness of the sky peeking through the gaps in the green ceiling was beautiful. Due to the good ventilation of her back, she didn’t mind the heat that much. After falling into a dark ocean and opening her eyes to a dark cave, this felt like somewhere in her ever stiffened heart, something was coming unraveled.

“...I see, this isn’t bad. I feel at ease.”

“Right? The beginning of a single perfect day is only from a comfortable bed.”

The princess was thinking that it was amusing how Ikta puffed out his chest, but, suddenly, something cut across the piece of blue sky she was looking up at. Initially, she wondered if it was a bird, but the movements were too slow for that.

"...Solork. The strange thing floating on the sky, do you know what that is?"

Charged with that question, Ikta searched up at the sky, but the instant the same thing arrived in his line of sight, his expression immediately became grim. From there, his right arm firmly pushed his body weight on one side of the hammock.

"--Wha!?"

As he kept watch, Ikta’s arm cleanly caught the body of the princess, who was on the verge of overturning and falling. Neglecting the dazed girl, he turned his heels and hastily began walking.

“They are Kiokan Aerial Warfare soldiers. One aircraft flying without setting a formation means that its mission is either reconnaissance or patrolling. Whichever it is, if it’s in a position that we can see from here, then there’s the fear that we’ll be found by them as well. It’s too bad especially since it seemed that you were understanding the joys of a hammock, but we’re holing up in the cave for a while.”

Giving her approval after the fact, the princess was carried off nearly without consent. She just surrendered to that audacity, but when she was being carried by not particularly strong arms, a memory was unintentionally brought back.

From inside his arms, Her Highness, Chamille, quietly peeked at Ikta’s face. Then, she remembered-- that, inside the cold ocean, within the single beam of light that shredded the despair and darkness, she had her first encounter with this man.

Faced with the existence of the Aerial Warfare soldiers, everyone hid inside the cave as a cautionary measure, but before long the blimp hid its form inside a low cloud, and at approximately the same time, sunset arrived. However, for a while after that, the reality that they were "being watched from the sky" proved to be a great pressure, and the number of words they spoke became few.

Dead of night that same day. Inside the cave echoing with their individual, unconscious breathing, Her Highness, the Princess, opened her eyes.

In addition, it was not because Matthew’s snoring was loud. Her sleep wasn’t disturbed to that extent. Despite that being the case, waking up was the result of a more severe, pressing circumstance.

Fortunately, it seemed that everyone including the spirits was sleeping well. The princess stealthily went out alone.

“...If I’m here, then I should be fine.”

When she came to a grove of trees fairly removed from the cave, the princess, anxiously looking around, reviewed the area and, after hesitating quite a bit, lowered her underpants along with her shorts. Since she met the experience of relieving herself outdoors once in her life during the afternoon, this was only her second time. She didn’t want to become even this accustomed to it over an eternity.

“...Whew…”

Taking time and finishing urinating, Her Highness, the Princess, took a handkerchief from the pocket of her coat and used it to wipe. Ordinarily, this would be when she’d throw it away, but now, it was her single precious sheet. She would need to wash it with water and dry it.

She raised her underpants while feeling miserable, and when she thought to stand up, then--.

“--There, who’s there!?”

The rustling sound of someone pushing through brushwood, and next the hoarse, echoing voice, made time stand still for the princess.

Going slightly back in time. The noise of rattling when hard fruits collide woke four of the five inside the cave who were lying in the depths of slumber, excluding Matthew.

“--Everyone, please wake up! Something crossed our trip wire!”

“...Whaa!?”

Yatori’s voice, perfectly suppressed as to not echo outside, along with rousing Matthew, stirred vigilance in the already awoken actors. A moment later, a lamp that dimly radiated light burned inside the cave. A white light different from a flame-- It was a lantern from the light spirit Kusu, whom Ikta had been hugging as he slept.

“...Wh-what? The Princess…?”

Haro frantically rubbed her sleepy eyes and looked around the area, but the figure of Her Highness, Chamille, wasn’t anywhere. The moment they realized that fact, Yatori, Ikta, Torway- those three stood up nearly simultaneously.

“...Yatori, Torway, two seconds. Ready your weapons.”

Even before that was said by Ikta, two swords were worn on Yatori’s hip, and Torway was finished installing his air shooter barrel the torso of his partner, the wind spirit Safi. Kusu and Shia also stored their bodies in their respective pouches.

“We can go anytime. --But Ik-kun, you’re going unarmed?”

“It’s the forest at night. There’s no weapon superior to a light spirit, and if there’s no light your air shooter’s useless.”

“When I looked, the one that moved was the second sensor from the left. Our scene partner is straight on our left when we leave the cave.”

Haro and Matthew, in contrast with the three who were exchanging knowing looks, weren’t keeping up with the change in their situation. However, among Yatori’s group, the people from which one could expect a proper performance during an emergency, no one urged on the remaining two people after figured out their objective.

“Matthew, Haro. If we don’t come back, please choose to become prisoners of war without hesitation.”

Taking Yatori’s short and severe words as a signal, the three went off running outside the cave.

She’d been found by the enemy. The instant she understood the reality, Her Highness, the Princess, couldn’t make any kind of reaction. While making the dry sound of stepping on dead branch, she knew that the presence was rapidly coming closer. Rough footsteps and breathing overlapped and began to be audible. He wasn’t alone. Was it two, or three, or more-- the princess, in a state of half-panic, didn’t know what to do with her thoughts, which were spinning uselessly as if to make up for her unmoving body.

“Quickly raise both your hands and come out! We have a gun, if there is strange behavior, we’ll shoot you on the spot!”

The noun gun, the verb shoot, she remembered for a second time the image of death carved out in stormy sea. Even though she had to escape quickly, when that happened, her body listened less and less to what she was saying. While facing her ruin, this time as well as before, holding her breath and crouching down was the best she could do, but--

“S-stop, don’t shoot! I’m coming out now…!”

A panicked shriek rose from the shadows of a tree other than the area where Her Highness, the Princess, was crouching. Her firmly shut eyes opened widely. That was undeniably Ikta Solork’s voice.

“Over there! Don’t make any more movements, we’ll confirm your location from here.”

Following that voice, a dazzling light ran through the center of the dark forest. The enemies, seeming to have a light spirit holder as well, used a high beam and started probing the source of the voice. Before long, a black haired youth was illuminated inside the white light.

“Your speech, that’s a dialect from the Empire, isn’t it? Who the hell are you?! Why are you here!?”

“I-I escaped the Empire and came here! Since the war won’t ever end, and my house was burned up by Aerial Warfare soldiers, I’m really fed up with that Empire! I mean, the Republic’s looking pretty good, ain’t it!? Take me with you as an ally...!”

Every single word of Ikta’s lines implied desperation, and even to Her Highness, the Princess, who was listening nearby, it didn’t seem to be an act. He was clinging merely to hope and fleeing here, just a refugee begging for his life.

“...I thought that’s what it was, another refugee, huh.”

“Ahh, that’s right! On the night of the storm the day before yesterday, I crossed the border by sea! Rolled up in the waves, I thought I was going to die, but like finally, I barely made it!”

“What about your allies? You came here alone!?”

“My mom is with me! She’s sleeping the cave in the place straight in front of here! She's not doin' so hot ‘cause she kept on being hit by the rain. I mean, you guys are Kioka Army soldiers, right!? Help us out!”

While squinting his eyes in the radiance of the high beam, Ikta continued his words with a desperate expression. His fervent speech seeming to have born results, the men, wearing deep green military uniforms with their air shooters readied, slowly approached him.

“We understand the circumstances, lead us the cave. You can relax. The Republic universally accepts refugees.”

“...You’re going to help us? T-thanks, it’s this way! It ain’t that far-- Ah, ow!”

Ikta, turning his body with a face as if meeting the Buddha in hell- possibly having a bad experience with a tree root- stumbled forcefully. When he hastily tried to get back up, this time he gave a scream and ending up crouching.

“Hss, I twisted my ankle…. S-soldier, sorry, but won’t you lend me a shoulder…?!”

“You’re a troublesome guy, aren’t you. ...Hey, Nihad. You help too. Also Irik, we don’t need the high beam anymore, so come here with a lantern.”

One soldier holding an air shooter already came and took Ikta’s hand. Furthermore from behind, the man with the light spirit walked over while changing the light emitted from the “light cavity” into a gentle lantern.

“I-is this all of you guys? My mom can’t walk on her own, and even for carrying her, the help…”

“We’re the only ones who come here. But, if she’s not a very plump madame, we should be fine.”

“...I see. So it’s only you guys?”

Ikta, mumbling quietly, innocently stretched both his arms. Doing that, he tightly grasped, one each in his left and right palms, the air shooter barrels of the soldiers whose hands he borrowed to stand up.

“...Wha!? What are you doing?! Let go of my hand--”

“Pattern 3! Destroy them, Yatori, Torway!”

Just when Ikta shouted facing the darkness of the background, the modest yet piercing sound of firing air shooter echoed. A soldier, the light spirit holder, the flesh of his face grazed by a lead bullet, held his cheek and raised a scream.

“...gh, missing by that much…!”

The voice of Torway reverberated, manic with irritation. An extremely effective first strike was completely wasted. The Kioka army soldiers, sensing that they had fallen for a trap, immediately began recovering their stance.

“Irik, are you alright!? Stop the light immediately and fall back! There are air shooter holders among the other group as well, we’ll be targets like this!

While kicking at Ikta, who seized the guns, as if tearing him off, the middle aged soldier who appeared to be the leader yelled in a loud voice. It was the correct judgment given the situation, but that was why it was possible for Ikta to predict it.

“...Kusu, searchlight...!”

Withstanding the pain of being kicked, despite stubbornly clinging to the barrels, Ikta also sent out instructions. Kusu, previously on standby in a tree with good perspective, received them and emitted a high beam from his torso. The wounded soldier who tried to extinguish the light and slip into the darkness was illuminated a second time in the middle of the darkness.

“B-bright… gah!”

The fourth shot Torway fired pierced under the hands he held up trying to block the light. The bullet penetrated his eyeball and reached his brain, and their pitiable foe sunk into an eternal sleep from which there was no waking up a second time.

“--Irik!? Damn, I won’t let you get away, you bastard!”

A full-bodied kick heavy with anger thrust Ikta aside and knocked his body to the ground.

“Die, Imperial scum!”

The mouths of two guns, hungry for a meal, were pointed at Ikta who’d exposed his defenselessness. However, the instant the triggers were about to be mercilessly pulled-- a red shadow racing through the brushwood danced around the backs of the two Kioka soldiers.

“--The wind-!”

Trails of silver cleaved the darkness. A saber on the right cut down the neck of the first, and with a flowing sequence of movements, a main gauche on the left stabbed the back of the second. Living up to the fame of the “Igsem of the Blade”, from the time she approached until Yatori brought down the enemy, not two seconds had passed.

The two bodies collapsed with a thud at roughly the same time. However, they couldn’t be careless yet. Facing right and left, while turning the tips of her saber and main gauche toward both necks, Yatori gave a warning.

“Don’t move, spirits! If you resist, your masters die!”

Despite fumbling with their long air shooter barrels, the strings of escaped wind spirits trying hard to stand up on the other side stopped at her words.　...All spirits acted with the lives of the humans with whom they made an agreement as their top priority. Taking their partners hostage was an effective way of rendering spirits powerless.

“Ikta, you’re alright? --Torway! Take the spirits of the companions I brought down with you!”

Nodding at Yatori’s instructions, Torway cautiously approached the side of the fallen soldiers. The corpses were lying face down. The figure of the remaining light spirit, shaking his master’s body with small hands, was heartbreaking.

“...Spirit, your master has already-”

Died- Torway couldn’t utter that word at the moment. It wasn’t impossible. Until now he had been able to lose himself in entering the battlefield, but for him and his allies, this was their first time in actual combat.

The instant one experiences the reality of “I killed someone” varies depending on the person. In Torway’s case, that wasn’t when the one he killed was in front of him, but rather, he experienced it strongly when he “saw the figures of those remaining”.

“Torway, leave that luxury for later. It’s not over yet.”

Ikta's callous advice snatched the time to bask in sentimentality away from the soldier in his first fight. Torway firmly stifled the emotions welling from the depths of his heart, and, taking up in his arms the spirits standing motionless in the wake of their masters’ deaths, returned in the direction of his allies.

“Nnn, the one whose neck you cut is dead. Seems like the only one who’s still breathing is the one whose back you stabbed.”

Sitting near the collapsed enemy, Ikta confirmed the deaths of their scene partners. The usual easy-going youth wasn’t there. From the moment the alarm sounded, he was- more than anyone- composed, and cruel.

“Sorry, I didn’t have the time to think about capturing them alive…”

Yatori, who had personally cut them down, had the belief that they were fatal wounds. Ikta also assumed that and nodded.

“There’s nothing we can do. Well his mouth at least should be functioning.”

Saying that, he turned the body of the enemy soldier face up. The stab wound missed the heart, appearing to have somehow punctured the lungs, and the enemy soldier’s breathing was whistling and shaky. At any rate, it was clear from the amount of blood loss that there wasn’t much of his life remaining, but Ikta, in addition to knowing that, began talking to him.

“Hey, you can hear me, right? Your name is? Ahh, actually nevermind your name. You have a name tag.”

Ikta’s hand stretched and removed the sheet copper hanging from the soldier’s neck. Confirming that he was being watched by his companion’s eyes, which were losing their light, continued further.

“Member of the Seventh Independent Battalion of the Republic Army, Private Nihad Vu of Aerial Warfare. You’re a rather unlucky new recruit.”

“...S-save me…”

“We’ll give you medical care. However, that’s after you’ve answered our questions. If you don’t speak clearly, we’re leaving you and going back.”

Ikta dangled a superficial hope in front of his eyes, but the dying soldier had no choice but to cling to it. Considering that his remaining life was ticking away, the questions started.

“Question One-- Where is your base? Approximately how far is the location?”

“...T-to the east, half a day with a blimp…”

“Alright, that’s good. Question Two-- For what mission, and how many forces were mobilized? Your reason for landing here?”

“...Mission, patrolling the inside of the border… forces... forces, not united…. Squads of three per group, came here on blimps…. Landing here, a cave good for camping...hack, hack.”

In the middle of his answer, Private Nihad spit out a cough mixed with blood. While expressionlessly wiping a drop of blood that caught on his face, Ikta continued the questioning.

“I see, so it was to pass the night above ground. Well then, Question Three-- where is the blimp you came on?”

“..., …”

“I can’t hear you. The medical care will be too late, answer properly.”

“...Leave, the forest, straight along the beach…. It's cold… please… please stop the blood…”

“Got it, next is the last question. --Nihad Vu. Have you been to the border?”

Mustering his strength and turning his neck left and right, Nihad coughed violently and spit out blood a second time. With that at it’s peak, his breathing rapidly weakened...within the passing of a minute, the rising and falling motion of his chest disappeared completely.

Murmuring a short, “good work,” to the young man who couldn’t answer anything anymore, Ikta stood up.

“Ahh, you can come out now, Princess. Everyone’s dead.”

At that dispassionate voice, Her Highness, hiding in the trees, froze her body. There was something that rejected outsiders in the atmosphere around Ikta at the moment.

Yatori, noticing Her Highness, the Princess, being frightened, in the course of her assumptions, went to receive the girl on her own.

“Your Highness, it’s Yatori. Please come here. Ahh, thank goodness, you were unharmed.”

Her shoulder propped up by Yatori, the princess finally stood up properly. As the two returned together, Ikta, gathering the spirits who lost their masters in one place, turned to them and made a proposal.

"It's too bad, but your partners- they all died. I'm sure there are those among you who want to report their deaths back to their unit or something. But, we can't allow that. Because we’re going to stay alive."

Neither a negotiation nor a persuasion, that was a kind of formality. When only the enemy spirits who'd lost their masters remained on the battlefield, concerning their treatment, that was decided by the Scriptures of Alderah, which preached friendship between humans and spirits.

“I swear on the name of Alderamin, Supreme God of the heavens, that we will reincarnate you in the Church of the Empire, and thereafter promise you appropriate treatment as prisoners of war. --Therefore, please entrust them to us, your souls.

A while after granting audience to Ikta’s words, making a sound like hard objects being rubbed together, the three spirits fell over facedown. From the napes of their necks, one section of black slate measuring several centimeters flew out. It was called a “soul stone,” the source of a spirit’s will.

“...Thank you. They are in our care.”

When he handed them to his allies after collecting and picking them up with his fingers, Ikta crouched in there and took on his shoulder Nihad’s corpse, still left with the warmth from his lifetime. At his action, Torway revealed his confusion.

“Huh, you’re carrying the dead body...? If they don’t have any more allies, then if we hide the body in the brushwood...”

“We're safe for the time being. Torway, you can bask in the sentimentality of your first fight as much as you want now.”

A strong voice interrupted his sound reasoning. While advancing his heavy stride step by step, Ikta spoke as if he was struggling.

“Therefore, allow that luxury to me as well. --This guy spoke clearly, didn’t he?”

No one was there who had the privilege to advance a different opinion.

After everything, with about two round trips, the remains of the Kioka soldiers were carried to the vicinity of the cave without a single one left behind. Matthew and Haro, greeting the four who returned, breathed a sigh of relief before anything. After that, Matthew went outside together with Ikta, and Haro was assigned to look after Her Highness, the Princess, who was in a slight state of shock.

Currently inside the cave, there remained two groups: Haro and Her Highness, the Princess, and Yatori and Torway. Torway was looking at his own air shooter before the open fire, with an expression as depressed as that of the princess.

“...To miss, by that much…”

He failed to bring down the enemy with the first shot, and as a result he appeared to feel guilty for having exposed Ikta to those dangerous eyes. On the opposite side across the open fire, while holding her sword in her hand, Yatori cut into the conversation.

“A moving enemy is completely different from targets during training. If you brought him down with four shots, then that’s a good performance for your first fight.”

“But, the enemy was nearly stationary…”

“I’m saying, anyone would be nervous in in that situation. It’s normal that one couldn’t produce even half of their true ability.”

“That’s no more than an excuse. Just now, Yatori-san and Ik-kun devoted your very best with composure.”

Yatori huffily stood up and held the face of Torway, stuck in a loop of self-condemnation, with both hands.

“Don’t get too full of yourself, Torway Remeon. Don’t value yourself over something like being able to do the same things as me and Ikta. The talents people have are completely different things depending on the individual. Concerning strength of performance, I pride myself in losing to no one. Being imitated easily would be unbearable.”

Torway widened his eyes and looked at his scene partner, but at the same time he couldn’t not notice. That Yatori’s palms, touching his cheeks, were cold, and that they were trembling slightly even now.

That was right. Today, for the first time in her life, she also stole the life of a stranger with those hands.

“What’s important, is that you reliably perform the tasks that you’re able to. As air shooter holders, you and Matthew are valuable assets at the moment. Since the worst bullet, even if it doesn’t hit, can make your scene partner cautious. This time, since you made the enemy extinguish his light with that, wasn’t I able to approach relatively safely?”

Hearing that, Torway took on a slightly comforted expression. Yatori huffed and pulled back.

“...You ought to learn little from watching Ikta. He may be carefree, but that guy always knows the things he can and can’t do, and acts accordingly. This time, since he couldn’t become an immediate asset, he undertook the dangerous role of decoy, and the other wretched one. Would you have been able to complete that interrogation on your dying human scene partner?”

Torway dropped his gaze and kept silent. The figures of the bewildered spirits near the dead bodies were brought back.

“You wouldn’t have, right? But, you’re fine like that. For now, at least. That is to say, your role in this party is to be a kind, gentlemanly older brother. You shouldn’t feel obliged to do more. Ikta sees himself and stands in that position.”

“...Yatori-san, you understand Ikta rather well, don’t you.”

Yatoiri shrugged her shoulders and ambiguously answered, “who knows,” to the young man gazing at her with conflicted expression.

Her Highness, Chamille, apparently having recovered her composure somehow as the result of Haro’s smoothing over, talked to Yatori, who seemed to just be finishing holding her sword, in a stiffened voice.

“Yatori, may I also see the corpses of the Kioka soldiers?”

“...That’s- my apologies, but-”

Yatori hesitated slightly, but seeing the princess’s tormented expression, the words, “I don’t think you should,” drew back inside her throat. Binding to her belt her two swords stored in their sheaths, she took the hand of Her Highness, the Princess, and went outside the cave.

Three corpses were lined up beneath a noticeably large [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dipterocarpaceae dipterocarp] tree. Their military uniforms and tags were stripped off, leaving only their undergarments. It was suggested that they would be useful later on, the one who stripped all they had from the unsuspecting dead, was also Ikta. The thoughts of Her Highness, the Princess, couldn’t understand a simple idea.

“...I heard that Solork outwitted them by pretending to be a refugee from the Empire.”

“Ha…”

“What kind of reaction did the Kioka soldiers have? Were they rough, or were they courteous?”

When she considered the mental state of Her Highness, the Princess, Yatori couldn’t answer easily. However, in the end, she couldn’t bring a lie to her mouth and injure the honor of the dead.

“...I think, that they were courteous. It seemed they- no, the current Republic itself is proactive in regards to accepting refugees. If the Republic warmly receives escaped Imperial citizens, the people from the Eastern Province who abandon their country and flee will increase higher and higher, and that is linked with the effect of the reduction in the Empire’s power.”

“Our scene partners who stretched out a hand to accept us, we killed them with a sneak attack…”

Yatori could see that she was slightly uncomfortable. ...Was she feeling guilty about killing the soldiers of the neighboring state with which they were at war in with unfair methods? Not that she didn’t understand, but wasn’t the Imperial Family’s wording strange?... At the least, as the official stance of the nation, every war conducted should be founded in the name of justice. And even though Her Highness, Chamille was a member of the Imperial Family, in other words, a chief figure which assumed the name of that justice-

“That is the truth. However, Your Highness, your words-”

The princess shook her head and interrupted Yatori, who opened her mouth to defend her own and her allies’ honor.

“Everyone says it, I understand. --This is my responsibility. The one who ordered you to, ‘send me safely back to the Empire,’ was none other than myself. How could I criticize you?”

While staring intently at the dead bodies of the Kioka soldiers, Her Highness, the Princess, was unconsciously gnawing the center of her index finger. The words that could be overheard from her mouth were no longer directed towards anyone.

“...Three people died here. As long as we go on like this, more people will continue to die. Both friends and enemies… The nation that is supposed to exist to support people’s lives, why does its Imperial Family continue to idly damage lives in this way as well...?”

Her soliloquy continued endlessly. Even though the teeth gnawing her finger had broken through skin, the person herself didn’t notice.

“Forgive me…    please forgive me..., I must return home alive…. In order to overtake the moment when the large tree will decay and collapse by even one second, I must do anything return…. Even if my punishment is Hell, somehow…. For instance if my limbs are torn off, or my intestines dragged out… even if I’m lined up with the reigning emperor and crucified, so…”

Blood trickled down from the skin of her finger. The color of her eyes was clearly unusual.    Although the princess continued to mumble as if she were delirious, Yatori, aware that she was her attendant, hesitated to-

“--Calm yourself, Princess. A luxury such as self-mutilation is one that ought to be enjoyed once you’ve returned home safely.”

Fortunately, Ikta, having come back, crossed that line in her stead. The princess, with her arm grabbed by the youth, possibly startled by the sudden contact, entered a state of panic and flailed her arms and legs.

“Let go, let go, Solork...! Who said it was fine to touch me…?!”

“Excuse me for not earning something like your approval. More importantly, look, blo~od is coming out, blood. Your hand is completely red, isn’t it?　In this condition, do you understand that this red fluid is literally a drop of your life?”

“Blood, blood, you say?! I don’t care. This annoying substance ought to leak out without a single drop remaining! You don’t understand by seeing it? It’s rotten, this is rotten! My blood- the Katjvanmaninik bloodline- was corrupted a long time ago!”

While struggling even more violently, Her Highness, the Princess, shouted incomprehensible details. Ikta watched over her condition with a serious face, but before long, as he breathed a light sigh, he forcibly pulled the princess’s arm toward himself, and without saying a word pressed his lips onto the wound on her finger.

“--Wha!?”

Even Her Highness, the Princess, stopped struggling and froze. Ikta roughly sucked the fluid flowing from her wounded index finger with his mouth until the bleeding lessened, then releasing his lips as if nothing happened.

“I don’t sense it by seeing it, nor by tasting it. ...Princess, the stuff called blood is continually created and replaced inside the body, you see. It won’t become rotten as long as it’s inside living creatures. Therefore, whether it’s annoying or whatever, your way of saying it was unscientific.”

“...Un...scienti…?”

“It’s neologism by the intellectuals. In short, it’s a bothersome and unreasonable way of thinking that’s largely useless. You don’t need want nor adhere to it; you ought to think more simply and see the true nature of everything. --For the time being, you want to return to the Empire, don’t you?”

At the question, the princess returned a reflective nod. Ikta lifted his lips in a smile.

“If that’s the case, you should only think about staying alive. When you distribute energy to unnecessary things, your troubles just increase. Besides, Princess-- you may have forgotten, but when the ship sunk, I myself was struggling to save you. ...This is nothing in the realm of hardships. But if it becomes a strain and I’m unhappy, I will feel only hatred on the day it becomes a wasted effort.”

Ikta’s hands held her small right hand between them. The same warmth as before reached the princess across their skin.

“So please treat your life with care. Even a small wound is connected to a major disease like tetanus, you know.”

“...Solork. So you didn’t hate me…?”

“Nope, I don’t think anything in regards to Your Highness personally. About one thing recently… well, it was something like a childish burst of anger. If it’s not too late now, I apologize. That was inexcusable.”

Quickly bowing his face deeply, Ikta released the princess’s hand, and said, “I’ll come back with Haro,” as he returned to the cave. While watching his back with a dazed face, the princess looked at the index finger of her right hand, conscious of the feeling of the dried lips that were held there for a brief time.

“...Yatori. Ikta Solork, in the end, what kind of man is he…?”

At the question of Her Highness, Chamille, Yatori, after thinking for a long time, answered clearly despite making a sarcastic laugh.

“He is a twisted man. ...However, Your Highness- you can’t build a house with only straight sticks.”

After Her Highness, Chamille, and Yatori return to the cave. With the sound of shoes treading on moist earth echoing in the darkness, Ikta unexpectedly wandered back in front of the dead bodies quietly laying down.

“--Sorry about that. Even as far as offerings go, this is all I have.”

Saying that, he lined up smoked boar meat and caju flesh in front of the corpses. When that was over, he had Kusu turn on a lantern near the resting Kioka soldiers and went around looking at each of their tags.

“Private Nihad Vu of Aerial Warfare, Private Irik Bahuzah of Aerial Warfare, Sergeant Hadiakka Ogholee. I’ll be sure to remember your names. ...Nnn, I guess Irik was relatively handsome. That wasn’t nice of us.”

Staring at his face, which had been unrecognizably destroyed by a bullet, Ikta gave a light sigh. While staring at the profile of his face, Kusu inserted some words.

“It was a justified act of self-defense. Ikta, please don’t be disheartened.”

“Thanks, Kusu. Of course it was a justified action. Maybe, for them as well.”

For a long time after that, Ikta was quiet, gazing at the corpses. Since they knew that they, without saving the souls of the dead, were only comforting their own hearts.

Before long, the night sky began growing light, and Ikta, not speaking a word the whole time, turned his heel and returned to the cave. In the end, he couldn’t come out with the words of eulogy he had been mulling over the whole time from the beginning to end.

On the next day, which he greeted while sleep-deprived, Ikta brought all of his allies to the beach along the center of the tropical forest. After they walked for nearly an hour, when they were sweating under their clothes, they finally reached their targeted location.

“That’s it. If we’re here, we can’t be seen from the border, and even if we go out onto the sand, I don’t think there’s a problem. Urged on by Ikta, leaving from inside the forest and going under the sun for first time in a while, widened their eyes at the large silhouette that was there.

A dome<ref>written as:気嚢 (air bladder); read as:ドーム (dome)</ref> inflated into a bulging sphere, and a small basket meant for installed under it meant for a crew. The shape they saw from up close was much larger than it was rumoured to be, and, if things didn’t go well, it would look more like a monster than a mode of transportation.

"Waah- so this is a blimp...?"

Haro, her eyes sparkling with curiosity, quickly drew closer.

Ikta gave a warning to Yatori, Torway, and Matthew, the three people chasing after her.

"Hey, there’s a ban on fire near the blimp. Shia ought to know, so I think it's fine, but make sure you don't raise sparks by striking your swords or air shooters together."

It seemed that they couldn’t understand the reason for the “ban on fire”, but in any case, becoming cautious, they stopped halfway to the blimp. Haro, starting by peering into the basket, tilted her head at what was inside.

“Is that a fire spirit? Both that one and the three others whose souls fell out…”

“Ahh. When we came for a preliminary inspection before dawn, since it was blimp-sitting, we disconnected its soul stone and made it into our prisoner. We were nervous because we thought its human partner might be nearby, but it didn’t seem that was possibly given what Ikta said…”

“Aside from the crew and this spirit, three more fire spirits are required for one blimp, my buddy Matthew.”

There were some who turned a surprised look toward Ikta, who gave a plausible explanation, and others, a doubtful one.

“The way you said that, Ik-kun, do you possibly know the mechanics of a blimp...?”

“Amazing- where did you learn that!? It’s certainly not made with the Church of Alderah’s-- ah-”

Remembering that Her Highness, the Princess, was right nearby, Haro panicked and shut her mouth. The person herself made a display of shaking her head with an innocent face.

“I’m not a priest, and it’s currently a time of emergency concerning all of our lives. As long as you don’t go too far, it’s fine to forget about the principles of the Church of Alderah. If need be, please devote your very best.”

“Even Her Highness is saying this, so, Ikta, don’t hold back and tell us. ...In the first place, how does something like a blimp float in the sky? Is it because it’s inflated and bulging with air? If that’s it, then don’t frogs or pufferfish also seem like they could fly?”

When Matthew argued his naive speculations, Ikta nodded sleepily while scratching his head.

“If you're set on that I have no choice then- I'll explain the mechanics simply. ...Answer this first, my buddy Matthew. Have you ever gone swimming in the ocean?”

“Sure I have. I'm not bad with movement either.”

“I know, being able to move relatively quickly considering your physique is one of your strong points. Now that we've established that, whenever you swim, how does your body float on the water? Is there some kind of trick?”

“A trick... if it's just floating, I guess that would be not uselessly adding energy, and holding plenty of air in your chest.”

“That's right, if you hold air in water, you're able to float aren't you? That reason is simple, because air is way lighter than water. Bubbles you spit out from your mouth inside the water go straight to the water's surface, no? The mechanism of a blimp floating in the sky is exactly the same. Essentially, you're just doing this in the air.”

“In the air...? But, the stuff that's inflating the blimp is air, isn't it?”

“That's true, but there are many kinds of air, Matthew. Hmm, shall we change our comparison a bit? --Then, Haro, haven't you felt cooler when you lie down on a hot day?”

“Ah...yes, I have. I often took afternoon naps together with my younger brothers.”

"Thanks for that heartwarming episode. That's right, You're cooler when you're sleeping than when you're standing because hot air naturally rises to the top, and reversely cool air stops at the bottom. So, I want you to relax your minds and think about that just a bit-- if I were to say it differently, doesn't it mean that hot air is lighter than cool air?"

The first things after those words, as if something clicked in his mind, Torway clapped his hands together.

“--I see, I got it, Ik-kun! In other words, the air inside the dome, or blimp, is warmed by the flames of a fire spirit, making the entirety of the fuselage lighter than the air outside and it floats!”

The young man answering gleefully, but Ikta turned his thumb downward while sticking out his tongue

“Bzzt! Sorry about that triumphant face, but you're wrong, ikemen. Well, it can fly with that in theory though. However, the practical problem is whether fire spirits could create fire endlessly- eventually they'll run out of fire, and on the day they load the fuel, it'll be too heavy and it won't be able to float. The hot air balloon you're talking about is transportation of the imagination for now. Hey! You got that?”

“When Torway is your scene partner, your attitude becomes pretty outspoken, doesn't it...? It's fine, so tell us the right answer without being mean.”

Ikta, admonished by a stunned-faced Yatori, nodded slightly and turned toward her.

“O~kay. Since Shia is also here, this will quicker with a stage show. Let's see... does anybody have a silk handkerchief or something? It'd be better if it's as thin and fine-textured as possible though.”

Ikta didn't miss the movements of Her Highness, the Princess, who immediately clutched her pocket the moment he called out.

“Oh, Princess. It appears that you have something that fits the description.”

“Y-you can't have this! Find something else!”

“You're pretty cruel, aren't you? Even though earlier you just said, 'If need be, devote your very best.'”

The princess, prodded in a painful place, stopped her words of rejection. Ikta had already come to know how to deal with her. As part of the Imperial Family, it was the rare strength of her sense of responsibility that was Her Highness, Chamille's virtue as well as weakness.

“Although, for working out a plan for this point forward, it's a very important explanation... You won't let me have it no matter what?”

Being asked again in that manner, the princess, feeling that she had an obligation, couldn't continue shaking her head horizontally. Ikta took the handkerchief which the young girl removed from her pocket with quivering hand using an affected carefulness.

“I am grateful for your kindness. ..Ahh, this is good fabric. I'll be back after I soak it a bit.”

When he confirmed that the thing met his requirements, Ikta ran to the water's edge and dipped the handkerchief in seawater. Bringing that back without wringing the moisture, and wrapped the right hand of the fire spirit Shia whom Yatori was hugging, with the dripping cloth.

“Haro, let Shia drink some water from Miru's 'water spout' for me. Yatori, you remember this, don't you?”

“Yes. I placed my hands directly above his 'fire chamber', didn't I?”

When Shia drank up about a bowlful of water, while layering her own palm on his right hand, Yatori gave an order.

“Shia, light a fire in your right hand. One minute is fine.”

Shia shook his head horizontally and refused her command. It was because he couldn't inflict a burn onto his master.

“You can't light it? That won't work- please do it as much as you are able to.”

When Yatori modified and repeated her order, after a little while, the hissing sound of air escaping from the handkerchief covering Shia's right hand began to be heard. Following that, the handkerchief covering the fire spirit's hand gradually rose with the pressure inside.

“Alright, this looks good.”

Ikta, Choosing a suitable time, took a string meant for sewing from his breast pocket and tightly gathered the bottom side of the inflated handkerchief with it. Doing that, he then unfastened the small cloth dome trapping gas inside from Shia's hand and showed it to everyone.

“Please watch carefully, since it's only for a moment. --and, go!”

Ikta released his hand at a low position, and the inflated handkerchief, not yielding to gravity, to the contrary somehow rose to the sky. As surprised voices rose, he caught the handkerchief which was escaping toward the sky with both hands.

“A floating gas blimp dependent on the light air that fire spirits produce when they drink water such as when I did that trick earlier-- better known as 'rising air'. That's the principle behind the Kioka Republic's blimp. Incidentally, when you light 'rising air' on fire, it explodes while burning. That's a type of fire called 'spit fire' which you learn about in the Alderah Theology Spirit Department. Imperial citizens do nothing but look at the phenomenon called 'fire', but they should also turn to the gas that acts as its source, no?”

Torway's nicely shaped eyebrows rose greatly at the impact of the thing that occurred in front of his eyes.

“That's amazing, Ik-kun.... I knew about 'spit fire' as well, but I didn't hear anything except that it was useless fire that didn't nothing but explode fiercely. To think that it had such a ground-breaking function...”

“That's because 'rising air' displays its real worth when you use it in large amounts. Normally, it's difficult to use even if you burn it.”

“That's so weird... Why don't they talk about 'rising air' in class even though they teach about 'spit fire?' Is that because the construction of a blimp is prohibited?”

Yatori gently answered Matthew's question, which was full of discontent.

“You reversed the cause and effect, Matthew. It's because rising air can only be obtained in this manner that the Church of Alderah prohibited the construction of blimps. Though I think that you understand since you saw the trick earlier- this time we had Shia produced something we normally wouldn't be able to have him produce.”

“--Huh? He wouldn't make that for you normally?”

“Of course not. Even if I order something like, 'produce rising air' or 'produce the source of spit fire', a fire spirit would never produce the same thing. This thing called 'rising air' is no more than a byproduct of Shia's<ref>written as:火精霊 (fire spirit); read as: シア (Shia)</ref> efforts to not burn me<ref>written as:主 (master); read as:私 (I, me)</ref> if he can help it and somehow try to produce 'spit fire.'”

“...I see. In a way, you can't obtain it without 'deceiving your spirit.' I don't understand it. Considering that having a human obtain this is not the true intent for a spirit nor for the Supreme God, it might be a reasonable argument from the standpoint of the Church of Alderah which guides everyone...”

“Although, concerning the prohibition of blimps, there's also the separate reason of engaging in 'insolent behavior such as rising in the sky with a human body, or trying to draw closer to the Supreme God of the Heavens without acknowledging one's rightful place.' Well, whatever the case--”

“It's similarly 'unscientific,' as you said it, Solork.”

Her Highness, Chamille, pouting her lips, took her next lines early. While shrugging his shoulders, Ikta untied the string binding the borrowed handkerchief as if he just remembered.

“No no, I wouldn't think those disrespectful things even in a dream.”

Her Highness, the Princess, snatched the handkerchief, which Ikta innocently tried to touch to his forehead, with a desperate expression. When she remembered what she had used that for last night, she was about to emit flames from her face by just having it held by someone else.

While turning a completely unrestrained smile toward the princess- who was making threats- Ikta resumed his speech.

“Well then, we got slightly off topic. Since my point was how to use this blimp.”

“Can't we all ride it and cross the border? It's cramped, but if we somehow force ourselves...”

“Quite the challenger, my buddy Matthew. However, sorry to say, but the limit on passengers is three people. Well, Her Highness, Chamille, is small, and if the three girls and skinny old me board together, we might be able to just barely go with four people. Though on the contrary, if Matthew and Torway board, it'll be at full capacity just with that.”

“In addition, wind direction is a problem, isn't it? Since the blimp doesn't have its own propulsion, movement is entirely dependent on the wind. The same as a sailboat, in order to read and catch the wind, skill and familiarity with the terrain should be necessary. The Kioka Aerial Warfare soldiers who practiced here are the only ones who can do that. We can't compensate for knowledge and experience.”

Yatori contributed, and Matthew and Haro moaned with sullen faces. It was a rather difficult problem. The blimp left behind by the Kioka soldiers didn't seem to be enough of a 'gift from providence' for them to be calm.

However, Ikta then shook his head in a surprisingly light manner.

“No, it's nothing to be so disappointed about. Since, fortunately, plenty of gas<ref>read as 揚気 (rising air); read as: ガス (gas)</ref> is left inside the dome. Once we have Shia refill it a little bit and release the ballast<ref>written as: 重り (weight); read as: バラスト (ballast)</ref>, we can at least float the blimp.”

“But what are you going to do once you're floating...? If we can't advanced in our desired direction, then, then it's meaningless...”

Ikta turned a seemingly mean-spirited smile towards Her Highness, the Princess, who was gathering wrinkles on her forehead.

“Princess, in times like these you change your perspective. If we can't use it as transportation, then we should think of another way to use it. Even this, it's like a lady's dress being tailored so it's one size fits all.”

Haro and Matthew tilted their heads sideways, and Torway was the fastest to guess at Ikta's intention.

“I see... This blimp itself can be material for a trade with the Kioka Army?”

“This time you're correct, ikemen. The blimp, made into something that determines superiority in this war, has a high the cost of manufacture, and for the Kioka Army, each and every aircraft is a precious treasure. They won't let go of one so easily. Of course, I don't expect that it would equal something like the bodies of six mere refugees”

“So it's an unconventional hostage. ...But, there's still a problem. How do you plan to get our scene partners to the negotiation table? Even if you threaten them with something like, 'if you don't accept our commands we break it,' blimps, unlike humans, won't walk. There's no way we can cross the border while holding an air shooter at its back and return it when we arrive to the other side."

"That's right. The Kioka Army might wary of us for trying to trade a blimp to cross over to the Empire's side. How ever you look at it, since it's simply not refugee behavior, we'll inevitably be suspected as spies. It should probably be a negotiation involving the commander of the border guards. If he sees through my identity in that time- even if they lose a single blimp- we might be the ones presenting a rather valuable hostage from our side instead..."

However, Ikta's smile didn't waver even slightly at the objections of Yatori and Her Highness, the Princess.

"That might happen if negotiations are dragged on. ... But, I don't intend on having them involve their higher ups. I'm aiming for lower class officers like the squad leader or platoon commander. I also plan to prepare some cheap tricks on our side so they aren't able to exercise their own judgment."

His allies' gazes silently asked about the “scheme”. Ikta stuck his hand in his pant pocket, and took out the tag he stripped from the unlucky Kioka soldier from the previous night's battle.

"First, since Kioka Army uniforms are a dark green color, if we wash out the blood stains, they'll be unnoticeable. Second, the deceased owner of this tag isn't that different from me in both age and physique. And third- I think Yatori already knows this though, speaking of the trademark gag when I entertain women, 'A Kioka Citizen when he's ~ ' series is definitely happening."

Everyone's eyes gradually took on the color of understanding. Ikta watched that until he was satisfied, then spoke.

"I wonder. Unless that kind of performance succeeds with someone from this group, I don't want to hear that there aren't enough actors."<ref>The last few lines refer back to Ikta's second point, which implies that he, as an actor, played both Ikta (himself) and Nihad Vu. </ref>

Entrusted with the position of commanding the 67th Platoon of the Kioka Army Western Border Defense Unit along the shore, Second Lieutenant Jif Halrum wasn't exactly a great commander gifted with talent, but there was an established reputation in the reliability of her work ethic. Her sense of duty, understanding her position as a non-commissioned officer and completing the task she was given to neither deficiency nor excess, was valued by her superior officers.

Guarding the border required patience. And yet- because the opportunity to perform a brilliant deed or service was close to non-existent- it was all the more a task which talented or ambitious people weren't inclined to take. All day long, while continuing to exchange glares with the Imperial Army that set up camp on the opposite side of the border, there was also a need for them to direct their awareness to the ocean so they couldn't go around by boat.

Well, they ended with just sending the “no abnormalities” light signal facing their superior officer, usually three times a day. They gave as much food as they could to the refugees who crossed the border, then on a weekly basis, they assisted in sending them to the village on the rear side. It was a cause for annoyance that their numbers were increasing by the day.

"The time is sunset. Private Romari of Correspondance requests a report from the Squad Commander."

Even when they gave orders to the Correspondence soldiers, they didn't need to mention each and every detail. Nothing happened today that merited a report. Their stage partners were also fully aware of this.

"Goodness, so today also dawned and twilit without a thing..."

It seems that he's forgotten that it's war time- thought Nejif while watching her inferior leave. The reason being, the Empire hadn't conducted a large-scale invasion on the Republic even once since the start of the war. As a result of the Aerial Warfare Division's activity, the progression the war consistently and one-sidedly shifted in their favor. As personnel set aside as preparation for attack, the job of Nejif and the others was practically no different than if they were in peacetime conditions.

“If it''ll be like this until the end, it's nice that we'll end without our allies dying, but... does the Empire have no intention of waging war seriously?”

It was obvious to Nejif. For the Empire, which didn't have a way to readily counter the Aerial Warfare soldiers, attacking was the only way to begin their efforts in this war. Even though they'd only exhaust themselves even if they continue their defense, why didn't they implement that....? Even though it was something even a child would understand- despite being their enemy, he was getting frustrated.

“Second Lieutenant, there are friendly troops from the rear side!”

The things which one low grade officer worried about- her futile meditations- were cut off by the update of her subordinate officer rushing to the tent. While thinking about whether she had an appointment for a visit of some sort, Nejif rose from her chair.

“Isn't this sudden? Which unit are they? We don't have the preparations to greet them, but-”

“Their affiliation is unclear, but they're a small number. However, even from a distance, it's a strange line-up...”

There was perplexity on her subordinate's face. Nejif, deciding for now to see for herself, exited the tent.

The unscheduled friendly troops were coming closer one by one to a distance where she could discern their faces. There was one Republic soldier, two males- one plump and the other tall- dressed in lightly dirtied clothing, and furthermore three female children.

“...A refugee delivery?”

It was common for soldiers assigned to the patrolling mission to find and capture refugees, then bring those persons to the Border Defense Unit. Although it was a rare case that the refugees numbered even greater than the soldiers.

“--Stop there! Soldier in the front, reveal your affiliated unit and full name!”

Determining that her stage partners had come to a distance to which her voice would carry, Nejif commanded them in a loud voice. Hearing that, the solider straightened his spine and bowed, then began speaking at a rapid pace from which one could sense slight panic.

“I am a member of the Seventh Independent Battalion of the Republic Army, aboard Patrol Craft 24, Private Nihad Vu of Aerial Warfare! I apologize for not making arrangements, but I'd like to ask for an audience with your commander as soon as possible!”

“Aerial Warfare Solider Nihad? I am Second Liutenant Nejif Halrum, commanding the 67th Platoon of the Kioka Army Western Border Defense Unit, but what are you in such a hurry about? First, if you're on a patrolling mission, you're supposed to move in groups of three per squad. What happened to the remaining two?”

When the reply came back immediately, the young soldier who introduced himself as Nihad- an Ikta Solork in disguise- showed a paled face that didn't seem like an act at all.

“There was a situation and they aren't here. Anyway, since there is no time, I shall give a brief explanation. --Please look to the eastern sky. Do you see that a blimp floating is floating there?”

Hearing that, Nejif also noticed the round silhouette floating in the sunset sky. Since it wasn't strange for blimps to fly to the vicinity of the border from the rear side, she hadn't been particularly aware of it until now, but....

“It's flying at a pretty low altitude, isn't it? What is is doing? And once the sun sets, landing will become pretty difficult too...”

“Even if wants to land, it isn't able to. The ones aboard that blimp right now aren't my partners. They are the allies of these people.”

Nihad motioned toward the people he brought along. Nejif lifted her eyebrows without thinking.

“...What did you say?”

“These people are refugees who came from the Empire. On the day of the storm from before. It seems that they drifted to the Republic in a small boat. Assigned on a patrolling mission, we landed in this vicinity temporarily since night was approaching, but we came across these people in the forest along the shore.”

“Hmm... Then?”

“From there the story gets complicated.... The moment we encountered them, when we fired one shot from an air shooter to intimidate them, the startled bunch began to flee all at once. Chasing after them, we were able to capture one each, but unfortunately, the direction they escaped to was the location where we left the blimp, and...”

Her scene partner appeared to have fallen silent from shame, and Nejif guessed with the entire situation.

“...It was stolen! You suffered an embarrassing defeat at the hands of the refugees, and lost the Republic Army's precious blimp!”

“I don't have any excuses. I wouldn't have any objections to being torn limb from limb in the Public Court for this.”

In the opening when the emotion of surprise outweighed that of suspicion inside Nejif, Ikta casually mixed in his cheap tricks.

The “Public Court” was the popular name for the Kioka Republic's Judicial Branch, and it allowed the attendance of ordinary citizens to preserve the impartiality of the arrangements. So to speak, it was “a place where people's sins are openly judged as the public- sovereign in the nation- watches attentively,” but on the other hand, the citizens of the republic- especially government officials and soldiers, positions that receive salary from taxes, follow the cliche where they reflect and contemplate their own lives.

In the monarchical Katjvarna Empire, the phrase for dealing with this would be “before His Majesty, the Emperor without even a defense,” or “humbly reporting a failure in a court of martial law”. It was a small difference that gave rise to the variations between the systems of government and the characteristics of their citizens, but if not for this minor part, the humans would regard their stage partners as compatriots.

“...But, Nejif-dono. Before that, won't you please help lighten my crime?”

“Even if I wanted to, we must have that blimp returned to us no matter what!”

“That is why I'd like to receive your help. One of the refugees who stole that blimp, in the short time as they broke from the ground and floated high into the sky, thrust a deal at us.”

“A deal...? Just what were the details?”

“It was, 'give my family and allies plenty of food, and see them to Empire under the pretense of returning prisoners of war. Once I see that their six figures have crossed the border half-way, I'll lower the blimp.'”

Nejif's expression distorted with annoyance, and her mouth spit out unproductive words.

“Ridiculous, I thought they're people who abandoned their native land. Do they think that the Empire is now still warmly welcome those who abandoned it and came running back? Surrendering to us and becoming citizens of the Republic is the wiser choice by far.”

“That's what I think too, but there's no persuading the people themselves of that now. On the other side of that, since they already terrorized us and stole our blimp, they should be in a state of mind where they won't respond to our attempts. When we first met them, if we had received them peacefully without intimidating them, then it might be a different story, but...”

That's exactly right- Nejif seemed about to yell. No matter if they were refugees who abandoned the Empire, their hearts were probably wavering in the space between their native land and this new one. If a gun or something was suddenly fired in the middle off that, it's not impossible that they would end up thinking that Kioka had no intention of receiving them.

“Even though an order to give refugees a warm reception was handed down, you did a pretty thoughtless thing.... No, I won't start to blame only you, Aerial Warfare soldier Nihad. More importantly, what about the other two? In the formation of the Aerial Warfare Division, wasn't a sergeant supposed to be included?”

It was logic that the highest ranked person would come to meet him- Nejif was implicitly reproaching him. Under a false panicked expression, Ikta was actually nervous. Because whether or not he could manipulate this part would decide the success or failure of the scheme.

“There were circumstances for that.... My allies are taking different route than I am, and they are now directly under the blimp. The ones currently aboard it are amateurs, so it isn't impossible that some time for whatever reason they won't sink to the ground, or even ride the wind and be carried off to the side of the Empire. We had to leave some hands to secure or destroy the fuselage when that happens. At the minimum, two people are require to secure it, and when it comes to the decision of destroying it, the one entrusted with the heavy responsibility of that decision, no one but the squad leader...”

Nejif was at a loss for reproaching words. Certainly, if it amounted to handing it over to enemy hands, they had to destroy it. Perhaps because there wasn't much gas inside because it was stolen immediately following landing, the blimp was even now just barely drifting within range of an air shooter. If that was the case, then it perhaps it might be possible to shoot it down.

However, since it was a blimp, shooting it down with an air shooter came with the possibility of disaster- the blimp popping and scattering- which they couldn't ignore. If that happened, the deaths of those onboard were certain, and the Kioka soldiers would also have lost a precious blimp in its entirety. They had to avoid that as far as they could. It was now that Nejif understood what he himself was aiming for.

“Don't tell me, Private Nihad... Do you plan to give in to the threats and have the refugees cross over to the side of the Empire? No, the fact of the matter is that you're referring that accommodation to me?”

“I'm ashamed, but as you guessed...”

“Ridiculous- as if I can engage in that kind of conduct by own discretion! In the first place, I don't have the authority! My mission is to get rid of people trying to cross the border without permission- I can't ferry people who're already on the inside the border to the opposite shore!”

“I am aware of that, but please consider it carefully. The ones who'll be blamed for the failure aren't restricted to only us. These refugees came here by crossing the ocean under Lieutenant Nejif's jurisdiction.”

At those words, Nejif opened her eyes wide with shock. ...That was right. She had done nothing but criticize her scene partner, but when she saw it from this perspective, wasn't it also her own error? Even being ordered to receive refugees warmly didn't mean one should let them pass through the border without stopping them. Of course, to urge a citizen of the Empire to flee, they had intentionally created several gaps in defense on the border line. But, these people hadn't crossed through those.

Ikta saw that Nejif's heart, wavering between responsibility and self-preservation, was in his hand. As someone with a strong sense of responsibility, she wasn't running to simple solution of self-preservation, but nonetheless, Nejif did possess that kind of character.

But, the youth discerned it. According to the art of war- one must create an escape route for an enemy driven to the wall.

“...Lieutenant Nejif. If I express my own thoughts, we ought to make taking back the blimp our higher priority. The crime of sending back refugees, the crime of losing a blimp. When it comes to that, the one Lieutenant should choose is the one that results in smaller losses for the Republic, right?”

Ikta's crafty side lay in having the achievement of self-preservation and of responsibility coexist. He let her digest that the deportation of refugees, or abusing one's authority, was a small vice for the great affair of taking back the blimp. That self preservation just happened to be nothing more than a consequence of that. To make a steadfast character shift, this kind of set up was effective.

“...I-I can't make the decision by myself. I'll contact the company commander via light signal, so for now just...”

“Please stop the jokes! Relaying these circumstances by light signal would require too much effort, and do you think that that blimp will stay in Kioka skies until you finish speaking with your superior!? If you'll let me speak as a person lined up as the lowest of Aerial Warfare soldiers, the possibility that the wind in the upper sky will begin blowing toward the ocean from now is strong. If that happens, since the blimp might descend far into the open ocean, we will have no choice but to shoot it down. At any rate, a precious armament will be lost from our hands!”

Of course, Ikta had no intention of either letting him dial his superior nor thoroughly think it over. This scheme, if one was calm, had several holes to be found. More important than anything was to steal his time for making a decision. He had to make him believe that the plan he proposed was “the only thing they could do.”

“O-once we lead these people, is there a guarantee that that blimp will come down!? From the perspective of those on board, isn't that simply returning in the middle of their enemies a suicide mission?!”

“No, they'll definitely come down. ...Lieutenant, have you ever been aboard a blimp?”

“Well, no, but...”

“Then you probably don't know. How lonely it is boarding that and floating in the sky. People by nature are creatures that live with their feet planted on the ground. Defying that and taking to the sky requires immense courage. During training, even I was seized with the feeling that my body was paralyzed. At that time there was only one thing I could think of... I want to return to the ground, even one second earlier- only that. There was no room to care about anything else.”

“B-but aren't they actually doing that and enduring it right now?!”

“If the lives of family and friends are in the balance, even fear might be lost in desperation. But the very moment the tensioned string is cut, they will realize it- the fact that they are in the sky with no one to turn to.”

The reasoning that Ikta used for persuasion was, of course, plain improvisation, but for Nejif who had heard it, it echoed weightily as an experience which only 'someone who knows the sky' could speak of. Even the five people impersonating refugees and spying on the situation could help but be amazed by his acting ability.

Authority disappeared from Nejif's objection. With that, Ikta knew that he'd overcome the difficult part of the negotiation.

“...Even if we bring these people to the side of the Empire, it's evening. Can they see that from the blimp?”

“I don't know. But it's actually more convenient under thicker darkness, and there's a light spirit holder among them. Once we've crossed halfway to the border, if we send out an Imperial style light signal, communication with the blimp could be possible. That is to say, someone to make them send it is necessary. I should hold my air gun and follow them.”

As though it were an obvious responsibility, Ikta suggest that he accompany the refugees crossing the border. Since it was a spontaneous idea in terms of the flow of the conversation until now, Nejif didn't feel that it was particularly out of place.

“I understand what you're saying. I understand, but...”

But the anxiety remaining inside Nejif was the final obstacle preventing her from shaking her head vertically. As the commander of the Border Defense Unit, the risk involved with letting people whose identities she didn't know come in and out of the border made her uneasy.

“I understand how you feel. However, please look carefully, Second Lieutenant Nejif. Do these people look like spies or manufacturing soldiers?”

With that said, Nejif carefully reexamined the people to whom Ikta had pointed. Young people who probably weren't mature adults. Three of them were girls. No matter how incompetent the Imperial Army was, it was impossible for a Unit that risked their lives and infiltrated enemy lands to have this kind of composition.

“If it's going to bother you no matter what, then all you need to do is inspect their belongings right? We don't have the leeway to interrogate them one by one, but I think that we might have time for that.”

Those words became the final push. Nejif gathered creases on her forehead and after about a minute of silence, turned to her inferiors who had collected around herself for something or other, and finally sent out orders with a bitter expression.

“Search these people's belongings. Hurry!”

Five minutes after that, the inspection of belongings ended without a hitch, and the six of them, including Ikta, assembled and crossed over the border. Second Lieutenant Nejif's soldiers were directing vigilant eyes toward their backs, but the distance between them was already quite far.

“Well, that went better than I expected. Thanks everyone, we're accepting applause and cash donations, you know.”

Supposedly keeping watch, Ikta, impersonating the Republic Army's Private Nihad Vu of Aerial Warfare, cracked a joke for the first time in a while as he pointed an air gun- of course, one taken from the Kioka soldier- toward the backs of his allies from the end of their line. Yatori gave a small snort from the vanguard.

“That was quite the scheme. To actually float an unmanned balloon and use it for coercion. It was hard to tell from here, but there was no one aboard the blimp in question. All they did was load a bit of their things onto it. Ikta for both negotiation and persuasion had invented an impossible imaginary terrorist, and thus tricked Second Lieutenant Nejif completely.”

“What Kioka soldiers fear more than anything is losing a blimp. I thought that if we used that as a base, this method of threatening would serve our purpose well enough without even having to point a gun.”

“By setting up an imaginary terrorist, you turned Second Lieutenant Nejif's focus away from us, didn't you? Just what'd expect, Ik-kun. I think that if this were a face-to-face dealing, the other party does have her reputation as a commander, and we might not have been able to pass through.”

Torway directed a reverent gaze toward Ikta. In front of him, Haro also nodded moment by moment.

“I feel the same. Since it was in the form of 'advice from a friendly soldier,' it was also easier for our stage partner to comply with.... And in addition to that your acting ability! I'll bet Second Lieutenant-san from the other side probably didn't suspect Ikta's words until the end. Really, I didn't think that you actually could speak so fluently with a Kioka accent.”

Ikta, praised by his allies, was triumphantly lifting nose up. The only person among them with a sullen expression was Matthew.

“Hmmph- I'm not just gonna shower you with praise. Since I'd just gotten used to that air gun, you see...”

“My buddy Matthew, please just forgive me for that. If you'd been holding an Imperial style air gun or sabre sword, then you wouldn't seem like perfectly harmless refugees, right? It's because we let go of them that we were able to get through the item inspection.”

As those words indicated, Yatori, Torway, Matthew- not a single one of the weapons those three had carried on their bodies remained. Even the ones they'd taken from the sinking ship. Yatori and Torway just didn't say it, but they also held those dear in their hearts.

“Matthew, rather than sighing over the things you lost, show some appreciation for the life you were able to keep. Also, it's not as if we've thrown our weapons away. Although, we did leave up to fate whether or not they'll come back.”

Yatori nonchalantly smoothed things over. In short, those were the things which they'd loaded on the unmanned blimp. Though it was a small consolation, they were gambling on the possibility that the blimp would drift to the side of the Empire with the direction of the wind.

“It seems like we've reached the buffer zone. Well then, Kusu, would you send a signal of surrender to the side of the Empire for me?”

Hearing that from Ikta, Kusu, who was inside the pouch on Matthew's hip, jumped down to the ground. Since it was necessary for Ikta to transform into Nihad during the negotiations, the two of them temporarily switched spirits with the other. Of course, since one couldn't give orders to a spirit one hadn't contracted with, the air shooter which Ikta was aiming before was no different from papier mache.

While Kusu sent the light signal, Ikta suddenly remembered something, and unfastened the air shooter barrel from the torso of the wind spirit Tsuu, whom he'd borrowed from Matthew. From his 'wind tunnel,' Ikta took out a small ring which he'd hidden inside.

“Princess, I return this to you. But please don't drop it. From here on, that's our proof of ID.”

The ring engraved with the seal of the Empire was turned over to owner from Ikta. Speaking of Her Highness, the Princess, both her clothing and skin were covered in dust, similar to the rest of the actors. However, so her beauty wouldn't stand out, they'd smeared mud on her proud, blonde hair. Ikta was also in a seemingly tragic state, but strangely, the person herself, not especially giving an answer, only stared at the youth motionlessly with her two large eyes.

“...? Is there something on my face?”

“...No. Aside from your nose, eyes, and mouth, nothing.”

While giving a meaningless response, the princess didn't avert her eyes from her scene partner. When Ikta tilted his head, Haro, who was standing next to Kusu, yelled in a loud voice.

“Ahh- Soldiers from the Empire are here! W-we won't be shot right!?”

“As we barely escape enemy territory with our lives, we are shot by friendly troops and perish... That's really not funny, you know.”

Everyone felt a chill down their spine at that image, but fortunately that turned out to be paranoia. The seal of the Empire, which Her Highness, Chamille, showed the soldiers proved tremendously more effective than they'd imagined.

When the ring was confirmed authentic by the high grade military officers assigned to Border Defense, the six of them were carried inside Imperial territory with excessive ceremony. This was their escape from the hell into which they'd descended but for a paper-thin difference.

[[Image:Alderamin v01 149.png|thumb|When Yatori, making a sarcastic remark, finally reached the bedroom and drew the curtains, Ikta was lying half naked on the bed with freshly wrinkled sheets.]] For the Katjvanmaninik Dynasty, ever since the administration attained unity, the sunlight beating down on the country did not face a decline. Its inhabitants with light clothing and travelers with turbans wrapped around their faces, each resisting the fury of the sun.

However, people weren't constantly being overwhelmed by heatstroke. The marketplace was lively under the lord of fire, and food and clothing, ornaments with precious stones and metals, and furthermore foreign goods which no one had seen before had the store fronts on the street overflowing with activity.

The heart of the Katjvarna Empire's business, politics, and culture, the capital Banhataal. The capital, the grounds in the territory of the Emperor which celebrated his prosperity. In this metropolis, the palace where the Imperial Family resided existed together with the garden of a magnificent evergreen tree.

“Ikta, Wake up! Information arrived about the state of the Eastern Province, you know!”

On the third floor of a leading high class hotel even within that capital, "the White Gold Sand Dune," Yatorishino Igsem was banging on the door of a private room. The time was past 11AM. For the fiery-haired girl with the absolute habit of sleeping and waking early, there was no reason to let be the person still out like a light at this hour.

As she continued banging on the door without even caring that there was no response, suddenly a rich sound of an open palm striking a cheek with all its strength echoed back. In front of Yatori's blankly staring eyes, the door was finally thrown open. The one there wasn't a sleepy-eyed youth, but an exquisite woman with her clothing in meaningful disarray.

“G-good morning, miss. ...So, umm, that was rude of me, wasn't it...?”

While fastening her loosened collar with both hands, the woman slipped out from beside the girl and left down the hallway. Yatori, watching her receding figure with a sidelong glance, stepped into the room while breathing a heavy sigh.

“How many does that make now? It hasn't even been a month since we came here- there's a limit to your enthusiasm right?”

When Yatori, making a sarcastic remark, finally reached the bedroom and drew the curtains, Ikta was lying half naked on the bed with freshly wrinkled sheets. If it was just that, then one would assume that it was immediately 'after the fact,' but there was a bright red hand print left on his cheek. It was a difficult call to make.

The youth's eyebrows drew together at the unrestrained flow of sunlight from the window.

“...How many you say, so that's not a good thing...? ...It's morning, what time is it now...?”

“It's already noon. You were definitely out drinking yesterday night, weren't you? Out all night with women?”

“I was drinking until dawn, then I was invited to my room, so I starting drinking anew here, and I was sleeping together with her until just earlier. ...When we opened our eyes with your knocking, for some reason she gave me a slap in the face at full power and left. She was completely unreasonable though, since I hadn't even done anything yet... ”

Ikta complained from atop the bed. The correct verdict was before-- Yatori shrugged her shoulders and surveyed the room, which reeked of alcohol.

“--Where is Kusu? If he fired a high beam or something at your sleepy eyes or something-”

Hearing Yatori's voice, Kusu showed himself from a basket- which was a sleeping area for spirits prepared by the hotel- beside the bed. As if immune to the evils of waking from sleep, this one quickly stepped out from the basket and opened his mouth.

“Good morning, Yatori, Shia. I think that Ikta is still sleepy. Since it seems he had women serving as his companions until late last night.”

“It's fine, Kusu, that doesn't make much of an excuse. Deal with it and wake up, you sex-obsessed male. ...That woman from before seemed like it, but you wouldn't put your hands on a married woman, are you?”

“Fataaha is a widow, you know... She's also separated from her two children and now is a lonely time for her.”

“The art of going after older women is tricky, isn't it? If you're not careful, those children will end up being older than you are. I mean, you take your lady friend's personal statement as at face value? Didn't you see her painful eyes before?”

Without answering, Ikta slowly got off the bed while putting on the shirt folded under his pillow.

“...It's hot today, too. And I really wanted to spend the my time in bed until the sun set... Hahhh.”

“If you're still half-asleep then read this. It should wake you up more than washing your face with ice water.

Yatori stuck a newspaper extra that was being distributed outside in front of Ikta's face as he gave a large yawn.

“Commander Hazaaf Rikan is dead. --With this, the Eastern Province has fallen completely into the hands of the Kioka Republic.”

Even this youth ran short of lighthearted comments and gazed intently at the newspaper in his hand.

Going a little less than a month back in time. Ikta and the others, six of them, having achieved their return to the Empire from the Kioka territory where they'd washed ashore, after entering the care of the soldiers on the border, were carried to a military base in the rear side. There, they were greeted by the Commander-in-Chief of the Eastern Stronghold Hazaaf Rikan himself.

“...You Highness, Princess Chamille! Thank goodness you've come back safely!”

The princess made an appearance at the building of the imperial headquarters, and together with other non-commissioned soldiers, Lieutenant General Rikan immediately knelt down, celebrating the aristocrat's safe return. Rikan was soldier with both a tall stature and broad shoulders, and his luxurious beard and mustache anxiously arranged in a gentleman-like fashion. Even with his body stooped over, he was at the same eye level as Her Tiny Highness, the Princess.

“Raise your head. Surely you have other engagements, Commander-in-Chief, so I'm touched by your personal welcome.”

Her Highness, the Princess, having changed into a clean blouse and skirt, responded to the her subject's bow in a stately manner unbecoming of her age. ...Even as a commander who directed 10,000 soldiers, he was no more than another subject in front of this young girl. Who in the world had she brought with her?-- He properly took notice of the five people behind her.

“A ship headed toward the venue of the High Grade Military Officer Exam sunk, and Her Highness, who had been aboard, had gone missing... We were contacted the other day and informed of both those things a few days earlier, but to think that you drifted ashore on Kioka Territory! When I received a message from the border I thought it was impossible.”

“Indeed. Don't consider it anything less than a miracle that I was able to come back in one piece as I am. And that is entirely due to the aid of the five people behind me. I shall introduce my heroes' names to you, Lieutenant General, from my own lips.”

As Her Highness, Chamille, announced their names one by one, Lieutenant General Rikan lost control of his expression.

“So that's what happened... O, brave youths, you did well to escort Her Highness to this point. If you were my subordinates, I would grant you all promotions at once. Without a doubt this is a service of first-class merit.”

They were words of unrestrained praise, but Her Highness's expression suddenly then sank into anguish.

“It would be nice if you really could do that, but.... Because they were entangled in my misfortune, their High Grade Officer Exam was interrupted. I would like for you only to do something for that...”

“Hmm... certainly, the Secondary Exam Continuation has already been carried out. ...And since there isn't any kind of precedent, it's difficult to make a firm promise. But if I relay the circumstances to the administration headquarters, they might make some kind of special accommodations. If it is something Your Highness wishes, I could even have them send it from the front lines with a single stroke of my pen.”

“That would be great. I apologize for adding to the Lieutenant General's work, but...”

“Anything you please. Since to let young talent be buried would be to lose 100 years from our country, right?”

Yatori and Torway silently stopped Haro and Matthew from letting their faces light up in regards to their remaining hopes regarding results of the High Grade Military Officer Exam. Just the one person remaining had to be careful not to appear indifferent, but...

“Well then, Your Highness. With this, I think it might be best if you return to the capital as soon as possible and offer reassurance to His Majesty, the Emperor. Since this is encampment of the front lines, I'm hesitant to call it safe.... Certainly I'm aware of your exhaustion, but if we send out horsemen tonight, you can ride together with your heroes and return.”

Lieutenant General Rikan spoke courteously, though in a tone of voice that didn't allow for refusal. Of course, Her Highness, the Princess, didn't have any objections.

It was decided that the six of them, allowed to spend the time until departure at their leisure as per the Lieutenant General's arrangements, would be guided to an improvised reception room. ...However, as the others began to walk, Ikta Solork alone did not move.

“...? What's the matter, Solork-kun? Possibly do you not feel well...?”

The Lieutenant General took notice of it and came closer, and Ikta then strangely gazed back seriously at his face.

“--You should retreat, Lieutenant General Hazaaf Rikan.”

“...What?”

“Abandon the Eastern Province, and withdraw all of the remaining troops to the Stronghold. There is no other option at this point.”

Needless to say, Lieutenant General Rikan- all of the officers in that location broke into an uproar at the youth's drastic proposal. The five leaving for the reception room as well were surprised and looked at Ikta.

“...Don't say such odd things. Until we drive away the Republic soldiers, without achieving our mission as the Eastern Stronghold--”

“The supplies coming from the rear, they aren't sufficient anymore, are they? Thin cheeks can't be covered up with a beard, you know.”

At that keen remark, Lieutenant General Rikan put a hand to his face and was at a loss for words. Ikta continued further.

“If the officers here have weak color in their faces, the exhaustion of the soldiers must be greater than this, no? I dare say, aren't refugees going one after the other?”

“...”

“There is no way that the land razed by the Aerial Warfare soldiers air raids is supporting the same number of soldiers as it has been up to now. When you delay a decisive defeat indefinitely, you only throw away the lives of soldiers and men in vain. …There is no meaning in this kind of battle. Shouldn't you be the one who understands this best?”

Ikta roughened his voice and pressed the Lieutenant General for an answer. Yatori, unable to stay silent, grabbed the nape of his neck and restrained him.

“Know your place, Ikta! This isn't something you can have an opinion about!”

“Place? Ahh, that's exactly my point, you see-- because he can know his place, Mr. Lieutenant General can make a move. Why must the Eastern Stronghold continue fighting as a stronghold, why didn't we stop devoting ourselves to defending in a war which we can't win without attacking? This, that, everything-- It's because it was ordered by the Emperor, isn't it?”

The youth screamed. Clearly, that was a statement that trespassed on taboo. Yatori, sensing that he would go too far, had immobilized his shoulder in a double-arm lock and tried to hold him down before, but then an unexpected person landed the final word.

“Yatori, you don't need to stop him. I'll allow it. Let him speak as he pleases.”

With those words from Her Highness, the Princess, came the first time anyone made Yatori doubt her own ears. Katjvarna's Third Imperial Princess, that is, she who is the Emperor's own child, was supposed to be the first one to condemn Ikta's rash outburst.

The moment Yatori- bewildered as she was- released his hand, Ikta lost all caution with using tongue.

“Let's just say it already- this war is a fixed game. It's the result of the Empire, which had wanted to let go of the Eastern Province since quite a long time ago, trying to achieve that in a way so its citizens' criticisms wouldn't be directed against it.”

Her Highness, the Princess, biting her lip and hanging her head as if she was utterly lost- Ikta as he was now didn't even take the slightest notice of that.

“Originally the Eastern Province was unsettled land, a remote territory of Kioka until about 30 years ago when it was taken in an actual war. At that point in time, the Empire simply took pleasure in increasing its territories. However, it committed a massive blunder when it came time to cultivate the land which it had taken such pains to get hold of.”

The Eastern Province was a tougher land for people to live on than than the Empire had previously expected. Even taking into consideration that they had to cut down the tropical forests, the flood damages were excessive compared to other areas. In the course of prolonged rainfall, the river overflowed and the roads and crops fields which they'd labored so hard to make ended up being submerged. With that, once sanitary conditions worsened, then diseases became prevalent. Each of the areas outside of the Eastern Province, as regions that were advancing despite fighting against drought, were yet another factor making the cultivation of the Eastern Province necessary. That wasn't enough for the Empire.

“In comparison to the heavy capital which the Empire invested, the cultivation of the Eastern Province was lagging behind and not advancing. Not only was cultivation a national policy to begin with, it was too late to call back the people who moved there. By the time they took notice, the Eastern Province, far from turning profit, had turned into a land which endlessly exceeded their estimations as a waste of money.

“Of course the Emperor and the Cabinet regretted it: if it this was how it would turn out, then they were better off not having taken it in the first place. ...So, with that someone among them realized it. It's not too late even from now- this burdensome region, wouldn't it be better to return it to Kioka?”

Nonetheless, there was of course no way they could surrender territory to an enemy nation unconditionally. Not only would the citizens not stand for it, more than anything it would be painfully obvious that their intention in doing that was push the internal administration's failure onto another nation.

“Fearing their citizens' criticisms in regards to losing the Eastern Province, the Imperial Family, out of ideas, tried to divert the worst of the anger in a publicity stunt some way or another. The means they had taken for that purpose turned out to be- of all things- a 'lost battle.'

“The scenario was quite straightforward-- for the Kioka Army which came invading, the Eastern Province would be taken back a second time. If this was the case, the citizens' anger would be directed toward an enemy nation and the army's incompetence, and it wouldn't harm the Imperial Family's dignity as much. ...However, it's a backwards method of caring only about appearances, and I'm honestly disgusted by it.”

Spitting those words out, Ikta gazed forcefully at the senior military official in front of him.

“This scenario seeks a sacrifice. Because, proof that 'the Imperial Family and the Cabinet earnestly dealt with the Kioka Army' is necessary. For that purpose, the person attending to the command of the front lines must be a general whose name is well-known. If such a famous general fought life and limb until the bitter end, then even the citizens would accept that defeat was inevitable, wouldn't they?”

“...”

“For this thankless role, there is no one more suited than you are, is there, Mr. Lieutenant General Hazaaf Rikan? You, who received the implicit command of 'lose and die' from the Emperor, in short are the ultimate sacrifice for covering up the internal administration's failure.

Even after receiving such outrageous treatment, you still intend to stay on good behavior and know your place!?”

Ikta roughened his voice and pressed him for an answer, and Lieutenant General Rikan showed a weak, fleeting smile.

“...Solork-kun, I'm really glad that you are not my subordinate. I'd feel guilty for interfering with military regulation to let the youth who took the trouble to concern for my health not be punished...”

“...”

“Of course, I understand what you're saying. However, for a soldier, orders from the higher-ups are absolute. His Highness, the Emperor is the gracious supreme authority for all soldiers within the Empire- meaning, he has the right to absolute power. I must obey his orders. Obeying the orders of superior officers is a requirement for those who make up a military organization.”

“I understand that you, as a commissioned officer, don't want to create a precedent of ignoring orders. ...However, the Emperor is mistaken. Great generals don't spring forth endlessly from the land of the Empire. If he's going to let you die as a scapegoat and not treasure someone as talented as yourself, then do you even think that such a country has a future!?”

“It's not a soldier's job to talk about the future, Solork-kun. That is the role of His Highness, the Emperor. We subjects only know our places and give our very best. For example, well... it's a worst case scenario. Such as assembling a battle formation so that as many soldiers as possible can return without becoming prisoners of war when we lose the fight.”

Ikta clicked his tongue at Lieutenant General Rikan's phrasing, which made him sense that there was a hidden meaning, and looked around the vicinity.

“Ahh, if you're a Lieutenant General, I guess you would make a move of that sort. Since the remaining personnel from the Imperial Headquarters are too few. Really... not only is everyone dressed as a soldier, but you're all putting on tough acts. You're letting all the youths with bright futures quickly run behind and take the rear guard<ref>rear guard:the soldiers positioned at the rear of a body of troops, especially those protecting an army when it is in retreat</ref> yourself?”

“The Kioka Army will come at us soon on the attack. If we are overpowered by the enemy and can't help pulling back the war front, then that's when we're allowed actual retreat. We'll stop the enemy in their tracks in the East, then we'll force their soldiers in the West fall back... To implement this 2-stage operation, inevitably, we'll need to make use of our gradually decreasing forces and divide them further into two groups. If they're not skilled soldiers, then they're unfit for the job.”

“If that's what's happening after their attack begins, then in that case we're better off moving forward with things how they are now! That way, there's no need to carry out that dangerous 2-stage operation. The hardships of the rear guard in keeping the enemy in check will decrease considerably, and as a bonus the Lieutenant General himself will live without being exposed to the brunt of things! Isn't that better in absolutely every way!?”

“I can't do that. Protection of the border is the Eastern Stronghold's assigned duty from His Highness, the Emperor. If we begin retreating before the enemy's attack, then that duty would become something personally renounced by me as the Commander-in-Chief.”

“Go feel guilty about renouncing your duty, but at any rate the Eastern Province will be taken back by Kioka! The outcome is the same!”

“The processes are different. Upholding His Highness's orders and having it taken, and running against His Highness's orders and having it taken.”

Rikan shook his head horizontally. Ikta finally lost his temper at the great general's unending loyalty.

“That's why I'm saying-- this way of thinking is unscientific!”

Grabbing the soldier uniform's collar with both hands, Ikta shook the Lieutenant General's body, which was one head taller than his own. At the menacing air one wouldn't imagine from his usual manner, even the five people, Her Highness, the Princess, and the others, looked on at the state of affairs in blank amazement.

When their hands unconsciously flew to their mouths, the color of the soldiers' faces changed as one would expect. However-- one step faster than they could recover, a vital blow volunteered by Yatori rapidly sunk into Ika's side..

“...gah...”

Ikta's knees suddenly gave way at the blow, which had been softened less than usual. His limp fingertips separated from the collar, and Yatori took that opportunity to carry up his body.

“Please excuse him, Lieutenant General Rikan-dono. ...Think of that talk just now as a practical joke and forget it, I beg you.”

Yatori deeply lowered her head along with her long, fiery hair. As if forgetting to even straighten his disheveled coat, Lieutenant General Rikan looked directly at the two youths... at last, he changed his gaze to one of his subordinates.

“...Well, Officer Ordof, please show them to the reception room. With your utmost care.”

Following behind the soldier who'd received the Lieutenant General's order and begun moving, the six of them began walking with Yatori shouldering Ikta at their lead. In the eyes of the older soldiers, Lieutenant General and the others, who were watching them leave, warmth and melancholy were coexisting.

“...Is history going to repeat itself...? Bada Sankrei...”

His five allies, who were close beside him, were the only ones who heard the final words the youth let fall.

“...I see.... Lieutenant General Rikan, is dead...?”

Lying face down with her eyes closed, Haro dedicated a silent prayer. The five of them, summoned by Yatori and gathered in the hotel lobby, shared the news of the death of the great general who should have been valued.

“Meeting the attack of the Kioka Army, the rear guard unit whose command Lieutenant General Rikan saw to personally experienced near total destruction... In exchange, it seems that the majority of the soldiers deployed relatively close to the rear escaped to the capital.”

The Lieutenant General fulfilled his duty to the very end, Torway spoke sorrowfully. Yatori and Matthew also corrected their seated posture and closed their eyes. They prayed wholeheartedly for blissful afterlife of the old soldiers scattered on the battlefield.

Among that group, Ikta, the only one with a sour face, was gently stroking the face of Kusu as he held him to his chest.

“...Damn, didn't I tell him?”

A low mumble twinged with a curse escaped from Ikta's mouth, startling the waitress who was carrying tea. Next to him, while bringing a teacup to her mouth with a flawless movement, Yatori indifferently made a quip.

“What, exactly, did you tell him? Aren't you being conceited? Did you think that the state of the war would shift with your one opinion?”

Ikta couldn't return any words. Instead, he poured gritty white powder from the sugar jar furnishing the table, which was distinctive to high class hotels, into his tea.

Haro, who had finished her silent prayer and opened her eyes, felt dizzy at his reckless action.

“Th-these grains of sand, would it be bad to pour some in a bag and take them home...? As a souvenir for my younger brothers...?”

She suddenly veered from the solemn news of death to a cheap topic. ...Be that as it may, the other actors, the five people who were officially excellent young men and women, also went on board thinking that it might be less objectionable than reducing the lobby to darkness.

“I understand your feelings, but that's bad etiquette, no? Well, the way Ikta's using it might be as well.”

“Even without obsessing over grains of sand, we've also got rewards from the Imperial Family, right? Because at any rate we escorted Her Highness, the Princess, home from an enemy nation.”

Saying that, Matthew, completely restored his stomach, which had caved in from being stranded, to its original state with the hotel's luxurious meals. While measuring the passage of time in the course of its swelling, Yatori huffed a sigh.

“Rather than a year's supply of high-grade sugar, there is only one thing I want for my reward. ...A make-up test.”

“Th-that'll be fine, right? It's not our fault the ship sank.”

“It'd be great if things go that smoothly- but the number of successful applicants of the High Grade Military Officer Exam is set for every year. It'd be good if the all seats haven't been filled up already. Arghh, we're already half-dead, you know.”

Maybe her nervousness lessened after living for close to a month in the hotel, but there wasn't as much ambition in Yatori's voice as there had been at the time of the shipwreck.

“No no, I've put quite a lot of thought into it while living here, you see. It's best if they contact us as late as possible.”

While sipping the tea sweetened by adding excessive amounts of sugar, Ikta commented with a voice which wasn't as weary. This man, releasing the scent of women's perfume from his entire body, was unmistakeably the one most enjoying their current lifestyle.

“...Speaking of which, it's decided that you're getting a job at the library here<ref>written as: 帝都 (capital); read as: ここ (here)</ref> ? Traveling expenses are cheaper, was it?”

Considering Ikta had no reason to cut his Exam short, Yatori, shamelessly steadfast, didn't have the slightest intention of scrapping their aforementioned contract. Even so, there was no helping that her voice was tinged with a bit of resentfulness.

“In addition, my living expenses from before entering the lodging house became cheaper, too.”

Ikta spoke, shamelessly brushing it aside. Yatori cursed the naivete of her past self. --She should have punched his stomach harder. If only she had done that, she might have evened it out with medical fees.

As they continued their small talk in a relaxed atmosphere, there was suddenly a presence approaching with a purpose. The four of them save Ikta promptly straightened their backs. The one who came particularly to them with steady footsteps were three imperial court officers clad in imposing formal dress.

“Yatorishino Igsem, Matthew Tetridch, Ikta Solork, Torway Remeon, Haroma Bekkel, The people here are the five people we called now, correct?”

Everyone responded with a nod. The oldest officer cleared his throat with a cough.

“There is an article to be delivered to your residence from the Commander of the Eastern Stronghold, the currently deceased Lieutenant Hazaaf Rikan.”

As he spoke, the younger soldiers lying in wait on both sides of him stepped forth. In their arms, they were carrying a long, thin package wrapped in red cloth. Handling them with care, they placed them on the table and silently opened the wrapping.

“...Ah!? My air shooter!”

Matthew excitedly flew to his beloved gun. A beat later, Torway took in his hands his own air shooter, which was two grades better than the standard, and Yatori calmly in hers her polished saber and main gauche. Their favorite weapons which they'd accepted might never again return to them. Their arms trembled with the profound weight of iron and time.

“I'll read the message from the Lieutenant. '-Since the blimp fell into the ocean on the side of the Empire, we were fortunately able to recover your belongings. I not only humbly return them to you, I entrust the future of the Empire to you as well, young heroes.'”

All of them straightened their posture and listened attentively. Rather than a message, that was more the contents of a last request.

“'Though I am an old soldier, my will is undying. I pray for all of your continued luck in the fortunes of war from the realm of the dead.' -That is all.”

Without being told by anyone, all of them spontaneously stood up, and bowed to the great commander who was no longer in this world. Even Ikta, the twisted person he was, was no exception to the respect harbored for one who had fulfilled his duty and died a noble death.

“Very well, then let's move to the actual ceremony. A horse-drawn carriage is waiting outside, so please come after leaving your weapons with the hotel. Come adequately prepared with dress that wouldn't be discourteous to the noblemen.”

Light returned to Yatori's eyes. Now, a new wind was beginning to blow, whisking away the blimp that was staggering with no place to go.

“Subjects, please shed thy tears at the privilege of an audience. --His Highness, the Emperor, Arshankrut Kitra Katjvanmaninik awaits you at the palace.”

Inside a horse-drawn carriage advancing toward the garden of the magnificent evergreen, each of the five's musings were their own.

“H-hey- Hey, Torway...! If remember correctly when we have the audience, we can't look at His Highness's eyes right? Then it's also impolite to speak directly with him without going through an attendant, and clearing you throat or sneezing is also absolutely forbidden, and then umm... ummm...!”

“Maa-kun, it'll be fine so calm down. When you enter His Highness's presence, kneel down, then after you just need to answer the things he asks you. Since manners for the Imperial Court aren't enforced by law, we won't have anything cruel said to us. That is, we're going there to be praised, right?”

The one trembling and easiest to understand was Matthew, whose round head was frantically turning red and turning blue above his shirt, which had been fastened to the first button against his will. Torway didn't have the time to spend all his energy worrying over calming him down from that kind of state.

“...fine, it's fine... Ilf, Shouka, Echiri... your older sister... you can rely on your older sister, so...”

While muttering the names of her younger brothers, Haro had all but entered the position of prayer. On the opposite side, only Yatori, who was patting her back, was calm as usual. The Igsem Family had received an imperial visit from His Highness, the Emperor, and in her case, today would not be her first time facing the emperor.

Then Ikta Solork. Since leaving the hotel, he'd decreased the number of words he spoke as if he'd become a different person. But, one can't be careless. Seen from the eyes of Yatori, who has known him from a long time, that was more an indication of ill humor than nervousness would be.

...Let's give him a warning at once. That's what Yatori decided while gazing at his expressionless profile.

“Ikta. I'm saying this seriously, but during the audience, only return acceptable answers to the things you are asked. No matter who I am, I refuse to hold you down in the presence of His Highness.”

“...I got it. It's that my side hurts, and I would be suffering on my bed under normal circumstances.”

For the youth, it was a slightly lackluster retort. The horse-drawn carriage came to a stop as they were traveling.

They were instructed to get off by the palace guards outside, and the five of them finally stepped foot on the holy ground where the noblemen resided.

What first caught their eyes was the large temple edifice, built up by stacking smooth opalescent stones.

“...Impossible. This, the Holy White Temple...?”

Yatori's pupils dilated. --For when His Highness, the Emperor, greeted people, there were three buildings in the palace at Banhataal. They were the Yellow Sand Temple meant for meeting with guests from outside the country, the Deep Green Temple meant for hearing the reports of his retainers, and the Holy White Temple meant for praising those who rendered great service to the Imperial Household.

T he one situated closest to the Imperial Palace, in other words the mansion where the Imperial Family carried out their lives, was the Holy White Temple which Yatori and the others currently had before them. The only ones allowed to have an audience with His Highness, the Emperor, in this building were chief vassals who had done a truly great service to the Empire. The highest stair for soldiers, the promotion to field marshal, was conducted here.

“Please follow.”

Guided by a chamberlain <ref> chamberlain: one who manages a household </ref> dressed in long-hemmed ceremonial clothing, the five of them stepped forward into the Holy White Temple. Even the great Yatori nervously toned down her gait. Regardless if they saved Her Highness, the Princess, that was the deed of an ordinary person who didn't even hold an official rank. All she could think was that even if they did have an audience, it was something that could've been settled in the Deep Green Temple.

As a final review before entering they entered his presence, the maids corrected each of the five's appearances. When they discerned that there was nothing that would be a cause for risk in front of His Highness, the bodyguard soldiers meant to be escorts, for whom it was allowed to wear swords, slowly opened the doors to the inner chamber.

In front of a lengthily laid out gold-colored carpet, the ruler of the country commanded the throne.

“Yatorishino Igsem, Matthew Tetdrich, Ikta Solork, Torway Remeon, Haroma Bekkel. -The aforementioned five people are visiting upon the summons of Your Highness, the Emperor.”

As soon as she gave that report, the chief chamberlain who had led them until now withdrew to the side and only the five young men and women remained in front of His Highness. The gazes of the nobility grew in pressure, and weighed on the backs of the five of them who were kneeling down.

“Chamille. These people's services, from your mouth.”

His deep, dry voice called to his daughter. Upon that, Her Highness, the Princess Chamille, emerged forth from the vanguard of the line of retainers dressed in a snow white sari dress. It seemed that the fatigue from the shipwreck healed completely within one month, and her long blonde hair also regained its former beauty, that form was just like a single flower bloomed on the temple edifice.

“I shall make my report, Father. --First, the service of saving from the brink of death myself, who was shaken into the sea by the tremors on the occasion that the ship headed toward the venue of the High Grade Military Officer Exam sunk due to a storm. Second, the service of forcing the enemy to retire with cleverness and the bravery to risk one's own life on the occasion that I was about to be captured by Republic soldiers. Third, the service of driving away my simple despair and finally escorting me across the national boundary by putting their quick wits to work despite finding ourselves with the misfortune of having Republic territory as the destination to which we drifted ashore at the end of the shipwreck.”

His Highness nodded lightly at the various services the princess listed and gazed at the forms of the honorable young men and women.

“Because of your services, my daughter, who shall inherit 900 years of the sacred blood of the Imperial Household, has returned to our roots without being captured by the savages of Kioka. You protected my blood kin- this is essentially equivalent to protecting the Empire. Therefore, young soldiers of our country's defense, I generously award you with medals of honor. --Raise your heads.”

Receiving permission, the five of them timidly raised their faces. Then, they looked upon the human who took the role of ruler of the country in which they were born into life from a close distance for the first time.

The Emperor was not yet aged. He might have been slightly older than a 40-year old in the prime of manhood. ...In spite of that, his bearing gave the impression of an enormous dead tree. The bony fingers of both his hands, his skin whose dryness was varnished over with large quantities of perfumed oil, his blonde hair faded to the ocher that lost both tone and luster, indicated the decline of both his mind and body without attempting to hide anything.

The dead tree with a crown on his head, relying only on its dignity, slowly raised his right arm.

“Yatorishino Igsem, Matthew Tetdrich, Ikta Solork, Torway Remeon, Haroma Bekkel. --To these five people, today at this time, I grant the title of 'Imperial Knight.'”

A long, long silence descended. The Emperor's words didn't soak into the five of their heads that easily.

“...Imperial Knight...? ...Umm, that... in other words... a c-conferring of decorations!?”

In this moment, forgetting both his nervousness and decorum, Matthew's round face shone with joy. Next to him, Torway widened both of his eyes as if he'd seen a ghost in broad daylight. Only Yatori remained the same.

It wasn't illogical that the five of them would doubt their ears. The title of “Imperial Knight,” usually, was one of the supreme honors given only unto High Grade Military Officers who performed heavy services during war. The people who received this- although it was an honor limited to one person that could not be inherited by descendants- it added those people to the lowest seat of nobility.

The nobility under the Imperial class system existed for the purpose of selecting young people from influential pedigrees to be related to the Imperial Family through marriage, and as a general rule one did not rise to nobility from the common class. The near unique exception to that was the conferring of decorations of “Imperial Knight”, and numerous benefits came along with it. A large increase in pension, a more influential voice in political matters, permission to attend meetings hosted by the House of Nobles<ref>貴族院 (House of Lords) The upper house of Parliament in the UK (the lower house is the House of Commons).</ref>...more rights than their young bodies could handle would come falling into their laps.

Therefore, Yatori and Torway couldn't simply rejoice. Even if the service had been saving the Third Princess, this was clearly an excessive reward, and it seemed to have thrown Torway, who couldn't bring himself to embrace it with both arms, for quite the loop. Why let it go without being suspicious of the hidden side?

While supporting Haro, who'd fainted from shock, Yatori nonchalantly sent a slanted gaze behind her. ...There was no color in the face of Ikta Solork. His clenched right and left fists were trembling uncontrollably.

Some way or other pushing back the urge to immediately leap forward and strangle the neck of the head of the Imperial Family-- that's the feeling Yatori got. She was almost certain.

When the arrangements for the conferring of decorations were over, the Imperial Family leaned their weight on the throne as if that had completely tired them out. The chief chamberlain took care of everything that came after. The details concerning the preparation of the 'Imperial Knights,' and the results of the High Grade Military Officer Exam which had been interrupted by that incident. Here, their passing of the exam on account of the five's special circumstances was announced to them. Though, since they were told after the conferring of decorations, both their surprise and joy had been weak.

Their unexpected audience ended without any indication, and the five of them were led down from the inner chamber before anyone could accurately make sense of the situation.

With Yatori, who was shouldering a fainted Haro, at their head, they left the Holy White Temple. Outside, in front of two covered horse-drawn wagons, the princess, clad in a white sari dress, was waiting for them.

“...Your Highness, Chamille...”

“I trust that was troublesome. But, please come with me for a little longer. Starting now, there will be a ceremony celebrating your conferring of decorations.”

With that short announcement, Her Highness, the Princess, boarded onto the left carriage on step ahead of them.

“We will be riding separately in threes. Yatori and Solork ride in this one. The remaining three in the other.”

It was a meaningful division. Everyone boarded as they were being told, andthe carriage began moving not long after. While they were three people using a space that six might have used easily, Her Highness, the Princess, in the middle of a closed off guest cabin, began the conversation.

“No matter what we say here, the coachman can't hear us. You don't need to hold back anymore, Solork.”

The princess spoke as if she'd seen through Ikta's innermost thoughts. Ikta unclenched the fists he had held tightly all this time, breathed a single magnificent sigh, and ruffled his own black hair.

“You really came through, Princess. You've completely and utterly messed up my life plan. When- even if heaven and earth turned over- a soldier was the last thing I wanted to become...”

The youth who'd been an ordinary person until just an hour ago moaned. ...Yes, Ikta was already a soldier.

It wasn't because he'd passed the High Grade Military Officer Exam due to special circumstances. In the end, that was simply receiving approval to enter the army as leading cadet, and the recipient himself could refuse it if he wanted to. Under normal circumstances.

The problem was the fact that he was conferred the title of “Imperial Knight.” The conferring of decorations was an order from Emperor under the guise of a reward. Seeing that he was a commoner, this wasn't something he could refuse. Even more troublesome, that title involved enlistment in the military, whether he wanted it or not. The reasoning was plain and simple: a knight couldn't not be a soldier.

“Since I've become a soldier, I can't defy directions from the army anymore. At this point, it's not 'authorization' to advance to a High Grade Military Officer Academy- it's an 'order.' ...The librarian post at the National Library I worked so hard to get is worthless now. I don't even have the energy to get angry anymore.”

Finding the excess space being a good thing, Ikta laid the half of his body above his hips on the seat. On the expression of her Highness, the Princess, who was watching this youth, though she was keeping up appearances with a blank face, feelings of guilt were faintly showing through.

“...Your Highness, we are grateful for having received unmerited honor. However, isn't it unnatural all the same?”

Yatori opened her mouth in exchange. The princess was silent and listened intently.

“'Imperial Knight'- as its wording signifies, should be a title given unto soldiers who have performed a great, meritorious war service. 'Knight,' since it's a decoration awarded to soldiers; the people who are given the title 'Knight' are already soldiers, therefore the order is backwards. As far as I know, there is no precedent for this conferring of decorations.”

“There is no precedent. Therefore, one was created with you.”

“Your Highness...”

“Yatori, I beg you, don't criticize me with that face! Of course, I did support it. However, your conferring of decorations was not my idea, but the desire of the entire membership of the Katjvarna Cabinet.”

While still laying down, Ikta scoffed at Her Highness, the Princess's weak defense.

“...Even if it's a fixed game in reality, if the citizens witness the fall of the Eastern Stronghold, it's nothing more than a 'losing battle.' Their hatred is directed toward Kioka, and once they've pinned the blame on the army, it's human nature to can't help but feel uneasy, right?”

“...”

“Who you want to have at this time are idols who will inspire hope in the citizens... in short, heroes.”

The princess sighed. The accuracy of Ikta's guesses was reliable, more than that, it was even frightening.

“...That's correct. The timing of our safe return was to convenient. Young military cadets return home with the Third Princess who'd gone missing from Kioka as it was on the verge of taking back the Eastern Province. Amidst the unfortunate reports of the losing war, this news has become the sole light for the citizens. The government had no choice but to make use of this.”

“Ahh, so that's it? I guess royalty does have the privilege of toying with the lives of ordinary citizens.”

Ikta's sarcasm, devoid of any humor, had quickly become nothing more than a sword forged from words.

“At any rate, we're now the heroes who're supposed to reassure the hearts of the 20 million people in the Empire. ...Well, let's put that aside for the moment. As much as it annoys me, it's not like imperial commands are going to change if we start complaining now. The thing I want to ask about before anything is something different.

--Hey, Princess. Just what the hell do you want by corralling us like this?”

Raising his upper body, Ikta finally cut to the heart of the matter.

“It's the one thing that's been bothering me from that start. What was someone like the Third Princess doing aboard a ship headed for the Hirgano Archipelago? Even an extremely sophisticated person such as myself can't come up with a single good reason for you to have gone.”

“Th-that was part of official business. In light of the deterioration of the state of war with Kioka, to encourage the military cadets bearing the burden of this country's future...”

“If your behavior had been immature for your age, then I'd have no problem accepting that cover for your true intentions. ...But, it's too late for that. Whatever it was, you've shown too much of your intelligence, you see. Not just me but Yatori and even Torway caught on that you, Princess, were keeping something to your tiny self. --Kusu, Highbeam.”

Kusu, held in Ikta's arms, bathed Her Highness, the Princess, in a strong light. As if illuminating the inside of her secret heart.

“Ahh.. S-stop it, Solork, it's bright...”

“I'll just spit the truth out already. When we young men and women, just starting out with great potential for success, answered the call to guard the Princess... it's obvious that we only came to make connections anticipating the profits in the distant future.”

Whether or not it was a response to the conferring of the title “Imperial Knight,” Ikta was unusually sadistic about criticizing the girl. However, it didn't seem that the princess would let her scene partner assume the leading role indefinitely.

“...Is that cynicism something you learned from your father, Solork?... No, Ikta Sankrei?”

That moment, the youth stopped blinking. He made Kusu shut off the light by a sign with his finger, and glared keenly at his scene partner.

“...So the Imperial Family's prided Central Intelligence Unit doesn't even need one month to investigate someone's personal history?”

“The only one who can deploy them is the reigning emperor. I'm not able to use them, and there was no need to use them this time anyway. Excellence in intelligence, tact, effectiveness in times of emergency. Taking on the accent of a Kioka citizen defected from the Empire. And above all, your threatening attitude toward the currently deceased Lieutenant Rikan, seeking the retreat of the whole army in defiance of Imperial command. Gathering the clues until now, there is more than enough for me to entertain a slight suspicion.”

Having regained control of the conversation flow, the princess suddenly turned an apologetic gazed toward Yatori.

“I must apologize to you, Yatori. In order to investigate Solork's past, I negotiated with the Igsem Family without going through you. Since, witnessing the trust you two share, there seemed to be few things hidden between you.”

“...My father, talked about it...?”

“He did try to hide it. However, so he would have to speak to me, I commanded him with the power of the state. When I heard the truth by coercing him in that manner, though, the strength of your relationship became more and more mysterious.”

There was tint of confusion in the Her Highness, the Princess's eyes when there was no evidence that the mystery would become clear.

“Despite formerly being an outstanding commander, he was branded with the dishonor of 'war criminal' for defying orders in the middle of an operation before meeting his end in imprisonment during the postwar period of the previous military campaign with Kioka, Commander-in-chief of the Imperial Army, General Bada Sankrei. And you are his posthumous son, Ikta.”

In the face of the trump card which Her Highness, Chamille, revealed, Ikta averted his eyes as if he were annoyed.

“I wasn't born from notch of a tree, I mean, even Ikta-kun has parents. The man who provided the small seed for my birth might've had that name, now that I think about it.”

What was twisted has become outright childish. That's what the princess thought once she reclaimed the leading role. Since that was something which had been taken from her ever since she'd met him, it also felt that, somehow, she was reclaiming her pride along with it, and without realizing it she was becoming more and more arrogant.

“I still have more! The person whom you called teacher, who was the first to preach the said way of thinking called 'science', wasn't he the old professor who defected last year from the Empire to the Kioka Republic, the 'blasphemer' Anarai Kahn? It seems that he was the long sworn friend of Bada Sankrei.”

“Though the nickname 'blasphemer,' I think that the old man took it as a compliment.”

“I'm not nearly done yet! Your Kiokan accent was something you learned from your mother wasn't it? At the time of victory, I hear that a beautiful woman whom the decadent reigning emperor had summoned to his harem from Kioka was granted to General Bada as a reward for distinguished service in war. Her name, if I remember correctly, wasn't it Yuuka Sankrei!?”

The light of reason vanished from Ikta's eyes, and his right hand, darting out, snatched the princess's collar. This time, he even shoved Yatori- who had immediately moved to stop him- aside with his left hand.

“---Try saying one more insulting thing about my mother. I'll strangle you to death with this hand.”

Ikta glared at the princess with a murderous expression he'd seldom ever shown. It didn't last long-- he released his scene partner when Yatori regained her stance. ...However, that was enough. The incident lasting barely a few seconds carved the fear of 'being hated by someone' into the immature, young girl.

“...Don't talk about that. If you do, then he'll really have to strangle you.”

While shielding the princess, who was in a state of shock, with her back, Yatori advised her in a low voice. Ikta, having calmed down, raised both hands and showed nonviolent intentions which contradicted his behavior.

With that, their conversation was interrupted. When the princess's breathing, as she was being soothed by Yatori, all but returned to normal, the carriage, which had reached its destination, came to a stop. Ikta was the very first to open the door and come down from the guest cabin.

Quite some time should have passed by, but they were somehow still inside the garden. They had been transported to a plaza in the east suitable for the celebratory banquet. Within the garden, which was trimmed with vivid flowers in full bloom, luxurious food in a completely different league from the Imperial Academy Graduation Commemoration Party was lined on the tables, and high-class military persons and nobles with drinks<ref> the alcoholic kind</ref> in one hand were mingling with light conversation.

“Ahh thank goodness- celebratory banquets really are first-class. I'm feeling a little better with this, you know.”

“Wait, Ikta, Her Highness still...!”

Taking no notice of the princess's pale face, Ikta located Matthew and the others standing in a slightly removed location and promptly moved to meet up with them. Of course Yatori's voice would have a tinge of criticism.

While having his back turned toward them, the youth spoke in a dry voice.

“Hey, Yatori. You passed the High Grade Military Officer Exam, and that came along with the title of 'Imperial Knight', which is leagues above just top of a class. Sure there's a teeny reason not to be satisfied, but if you measure the pros and cons, today is undoubtedly a day for you to commemorate. Am I right?”

“...”

“On the contrary, how is it for me, I wonder? These things are exactly the same for me you see, and it's without question the worst day of my life. Between today and the day my mother died, it's hard to say which was better. In any case, even though it was the absolute last thing I ever wanted for my life, I became three things at once today. A nobleman, a soldier-- and a hero.

“On a day like this, for the time being I'm just going to drink until I don't know anything anymore. That's the only thing I can think of.”

Finishing his speech with a wavering voice, without even returning a single glance toward Her Highness, the Princess, Ikta finally took his leave.

Likely, nowhere in the world did words exist that might have stopped him.

==Translator's Notes and References==
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| Back to [[Tenkyou no Alderamin:Volume 1 Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
| Return to [[Tenkyou no Alderamin|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Tenkyou no Alderamin:Volume 1 Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
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</noinclude>

Tenkyou no Alderamin:Volume 1 Chapter 1

2015-04-28T10:12:46Z

Chocolatkey: all this is grammar and spelling

==The Empire at Twilight==

In the Katjvarna territory, the four seasons basically don’t exist. It’s the tropics.

There is no spring nor autumn, and, of course, no winter. There is only the season when the general of summer seriously attacks, and when he slightly loosens his hand. It’s allowable to call half of the Empire’s history, the history of the fight with this brave general.

Therefore, between the slender and tall [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dipterocarpaceae dipterocarp] trees-- the figure of somebody fast asleep with his body entrusted to a hanging hammock was possibly the form of humanity’s triumph against the general of summer.

“Ikta, please wake up, Ikta.”

A small, lovable humanoid "something" climbed aboard that someone’s chest, which rose and fell with the breathing of his slumber, and shook the body eagerly. A large face and short limbs, a round form, a "light cavity" in his body. That form was undeniably a light spirit, one pillar of the elemental spirits which served as the good partners of humanity.

“...Nnn…what is it, Kusu? Didn’t I say I’d sleep through the graduation ceremony?...”

Taking off the hat that shaded his face, the somebody took up the light spirit called Kusu with both hands. He was a black-haired, sleepy-eyed youth. The shirt and navy blue pants worn on his body were unrecognizably misshapen, but it was possible that they were a uniform that in some way matched with the hat.

“So, it ended.”

“...Hmm?”

While staring up and down at the spirit held in his arms, the sleepy-eyed youth-- Ikta tilted his head.

“If progress was as planned, the Imperial Segal Grand Academy’s 131st Term Graduation Ceremony ended just about now, and they should be shifting to the Communal Meal between graduates and guardians. Would it be unwise to have a meal here?”

Hearing that, Ikta casually turned his gaze to the skies, and, indeed, the sun had risen considerably compared to when he looked before he slept.

“Certainly, this is terrible. Let’s miss this meal, even though it’s free.”

Ikta, having sluggishly lowered his body from the hammock and stood on the ground, stretched widely. His back cracked, his sleepy conscious just then awoke, and all at once his hunger and thirst attacked.

“Ugh, I have a headache… light dehydration, I wonder?”

“It’s because you slept a long time in this heat. First, let’s stop by a well and replenish our water supply.”

Ikta brought the body of Kusu who so advised him to the special pouch he attached to his own hip and snugly stored him there. For the slow-footed spirit, that was the default position during travel.

“Well, shall I endure it just a little? Just for today, since it’s a waste to quench our thirst with tepid water.”

After quickly retrieving the hammock from the tree trunks, Ikta, even while grimacing from his headache, started running through the inside the forest in high spirits.

“I’m Yahg the physical education instructor, congratulations on your graduation, Miss Igsem. Ah, the High Grade Military Officer Exam is drawing closer before you. I think that, if it’s you, then you’ll definitely pass, but don’t relax even a little alright?”

“I receive your advice gratefully, Instructor Yahg. I’m thinking of putting the things I learned here to best use in practice.”

After the graduation ceremony, the Academy president’s long speech, having calculatingly joined forces with the fierce heat, actually sent eight students out to the medical room. Finally, Yatorishino Igsem of those who moved to the Communal Lunch under the grand pavilion as per the schedule, not being able to dine properly, was savoring the annoyances of being an honor student.

“Oh, Yatorishino-kun, congratulations on your graduation. I’m Kobakk from educational guidance. As expected of the top of her class. Are you also expecting the same results from the High Grade Military Officer Exam?”

“Thank you very much, Instructor Kobakk. I wish devote my whole energy to meet expectations.”

--The top student understands it, even without you guys saying. So let me go already!

While she continued the unpleasant reception, in actuality, nothing but that was repeating in her mind.

If they came just to congratulate her on graduating, that would still be okay. There was no helping that she felt unhappy that, after words of congratulations, each and every one of the instructors added their own names. Furthermore, that type of people generally, in school life up to now, was a group with weak connections to Yatori.

Because being forgotten was scary, they tried to make even a small impression from the start. It was a ridiculous idea. But still, as the top of her class who combined her character with wisdom and courage, she had to take on a manner devoted to etiquette.

“Ah, alright! The second serving of ice cream is here!”

Yatori’s ears twitched at the detail exclaimed by another student in the near vicinity…. icecream!

As might be expected from the congratulation of the graduates of the Imperial Grand Academy, fancy cuisine to match the occasion was lined up on the tables of the assembly hall. Fish fry covered with plenty of spices, meat soup boiled with a mountain of spices, mixed rice boiled together with so many spices that you’d die. The flavor of spices which were used for the purpose of sterilization, seasoning, and metabolism acceleration was an essential characteristic of Katjvarna. Since Yatori was accustomed to the stuff itself, she didn’t mind it.

However, she just now came from the president’s long speech. She was all out of such things like sweat, and the temperature of her lips, dry and papery, surpassed the normal by two degrees. Eat foods with plenty of spices and accelerate metabolism → sweat and get a refreshing coolness- she didn’t need to undergo a process as irritating as the one she had been until this time. Yatori’s body desired a more direct "coolness."

One way or the other finishing the conversation with the instructors at an appropriate place, she turned to the direction of the voice from earlier and started walking with a quick pace. Icecream-- that was undeniably the most appealing sound to anyone in this country. [[Image:Alderamin v01 027.png|thumb|Her fingers, as they took the spoon handle, overlapped with the fingers of a youth trying to reach for it at the same time.]]In Katjvarna, far from snow and never even having had frost fall, the only ones that could make the precious gem called ice were the water spirits. In addition to that, they couldn’t make a lot at once, and the majority of it circulated as an industrial coolant. The luxury of "eating ice" was a pleasure only for days with special, joyous things.

Given out to many hands, the remaining amount now was in a precarious state. Yatori, barely enduring the urge to starting running- despite doing nothing but praying that enough for her remained- finally arrived in front of the plate.

She breathed a sigh of relief without thinking. The icecream on top of the large plate was really only a small amount, scraped together and served on a small plate, would finally be enough for one person. It was by a hair’s breadth…. While imagining the coolness of the ice slipping down her throat, she placed a hand on the serving spoon-

“Ah.”

Her fingers, as they took the spoon handle, overlapped with the fingers of a youth trying to reach for it at the same time.

“...Ikta.”

“Ah, Yatori. Congratulations on graduating. As expected of the top of her class. I’m proud to be in the same year.”

While giving the false compliment, the black-haired youth resistantly put strength into the tightly gripped spoon. Yatori also did the same. Grappling with the spoon from left and right, the two squared off in front of the plate.

“...You, didn’t show up at the graduation ceremony right?”

“Well, that was rude of me. My heart was always together with everyone.”

“I have no interest in the your peculiar, conveniently detachable heart. So, where was the main body?”

“Overpowered by sleep in the forest behind the school. I couldn't help worrying about how many people collapsed this year.”

“Eight people were incapacitated by listening.... So, you, who for some reason skipped the graduation ceremony, only show up for the Communal Lunch like nothing happened?”

“Because of this, there was no lunch today in the dormitories. Even if you let me sleep through the graduation ceremony, dining is compulsory.”

“Like I’d accept your excuse. Anyway, remove your hand.”

To Yatori who ordered in a threatening tone, Ikta shrugged his shoulders and gave a villainous smile.

“That the world-famous top graduate can’t concede one plate of ice cream to another person…”

“Ngh.”

“I’m disappointed… The teachers would probably be disgusted. To think that the someone such as the eldest daughter of the Igsem Family is so shameful…”

Drawn out by the reference to her family’s honor, the strength gradually left Yatori’s hand. Ikta, having successfully stolen the serving spoon, gleefully served the remaining icecream on a small plate.

“As expected of Yatorishino Igsem. Her pride higher than a mountain, her heart larger than than the ocean. It seems I truly have a good friend-- Ah, ow!?”

The moment he brought the filled plate to his body, a tingling numbness ran through Ikuta’s left arm. Without drawing attention, Yatori’s quickly dispatched fist hit the nerves in his elbow. Firmly catching the plate slipping out of his hand mid-fall and claiming it as her own, Yatori gave a triumphant smile.

“Thank you for going out of your way to serve it for me, Ikta-kun. A gentleman does things ladies first.”

“The result is the honor of receiving of your praise.”

Ikta retorted despite having lost the argument, rubbing his elbow with tearing eyes.

“...Mm~m.”

The coolness and sweetness spreading in her mouth, the scent of cinnamon leaving her nose, the sensation of icecream thawed by her body heat sliding down her throat. Yatori was shivering at sensuality of those things while mindlessly holding the spoon in her mouth.

“I'm being restored to life. Icecream is the ''best''.”

“That’s so true isn’t it? On the other hand, I’m hot and about to die. No, I’ve been dead for a long time.”

With a drink in a porcelain cup in one hand, Ikta was slouching on a bench set up in a corner of the party hall. He was glaring resentfully at Yatori’s blissful expression with a sidelong glance.

“How exaggerated. The palm wine is chilled in itself, isn’t it?”

“The alcohol<ref>written as: 酒精 (wine spirits/ethyl alcohol); read as: アルコール　(alcohol)</ref> is weak and it wasn’t fermented enough. Therefore, I won’t acknowledge this stuff as alcohol.”

Despite saying that, Ikta, with a large jug of palm wine placed on his bench, was draining the contents of his cup and pouring himself several refills from there. When his thirst was finally quenched, he came with both arms filled to capacity with food from the tables and began eating incessantly.

“Nng...mmm…. Considering that this is a party for the Imperial Grand Academy, the quality of the food being served is equal to the Empire’s dignity. The reality that it’s declining is an alarming thing, you know, Yatori-kun.”

“Be quiet. Because normal students- unlike you, who slips in every year- only attend once, the quality of the food isn’t something they care about, you know.”

While speaking, Yatori carried the last spoonful of icecream to her mouth with a trace of regret. Without thinking, she was gazing at the table, but there was currently no sign that more would come. She couldn’t help but be reminded of Ikta’s speech.

“Damn, I guess that was the end of this year’s icecream. In any case, it’s because the price of the milk and honey sprinkled on top of the ice, which is produced directly in the kitchen, seems to have risen quite a lot since the year began.”

Thus complaining, Ikta, as if giving into despair, swigged palm wine.

Stored in the pouch on his waist, his partner, the light spirit Kusu, raised his eyes appearing anxious about the circumstances.

“Ikta, drink alcohol moderately. It’s harmful to the body.”

“I guess so, Kusu. Opportunities in which I can drink enough to harm my body are rare, you know.”

While watching that usual back and forth between the two, Yatori innocently brought her hand to her right hip and caressed the face of her partner being stored there. With "fire chambers" in both hands, he was the deep-red fire spirit Shia.

“It seems you’re having difficulties as always, Kusu. Shia is worried as well.”

“Thank you very much, Yatori. Shia has blessed with a responsible master.”

“Agreement.”

After speaking only that with a sigh, Shia became silent for a second time.

He seemed cold, but considering the two, he was closer to a spirit's standard mode. A spirit's personality was shaped by accepting his master's influence, but ones with communication abilities as high as Kusu were rare, and spirits attached to soldiers were especially liable to becoming uncommunicative.

"Ah, Yatori-sama! Congratulations on graduating at the top of your class!”

Having found Yatori’s figure, six students from the crowd came to encourage her. Certainly not handling them coldly, she answered them with a smile, the same as when she addressed the instructors.

“Thank you. Also, congratulations to you, too.”

When a voice was returned from Yatori, the students who came to have a conversation, regardless of gender, became excited. Her red hair extending past her shoulders with its tips curling in and out intermingling, the pupils of her large eyes seeming to symbolize intelligence and sincerity, her stylishly-worn uniform unwrinkled by the heat. That was a figure as if dignity were painted in a picture.

With excellence in both the military and literary arts united with a personal history as a descendant of the Distinguished Igsem Family of the Classical Military Factions, Yatorishino Igsem received greater expectations and respect from students in the same class than anyone else…. But, to that extent, the companion together with in her an unbecoming situation, he was exceedingly conspicuous.

“...Umm. Possibly, are you involved with Ikta Solork?”

Sure enough, the one girl who noticed the existence of the dead drunk "unbecoming someone-san" whispered to Yatori in a lowered voice.

“Eh? No, we’re just talking a bit.”

“You shouldn’t keep company with that kind of good-for-nothing. Stupidity is contagious.”

Yatori only responded to that harsh evaluation with a vague smile. The girl continued even closer to Yatori’s ear.

“...Either I’m mistaken about something, or there is a rumour that this guy is also taking the High Grade Military Officer Exam. I think that he’ll fail it quickly in any case, but please be careful that you aren’t distracted by him.”

Yatori, being what she was, suppressed a snicker at that girl’s words, but, leaving that aside, the girl quickly changed the topic

“Anyway, Yatori-sama. When will you go to actual combat with as a commander?”

Since she didn’t so much as take the Exam yet, there was a limit to how hasty one could be. But, of course, without revealing those kinds of true feelings, Yatori politely answered her innocent question.

“I can’t say anything yet, but normally it seems that after training for four~five years, you receive a rank and from there you can handle being an official military officer.”

“Four years… I hope it’s much faster because you’re Yatori, but I wonder if you can’t make it in time.”

“Make it in time…. What are you talking about?”

When Yatori tilted her head and asked for an explanation, this time a boy from behind her answered.

“Her relative lives in Katjvarna’s Eastern Province. Hey… right now the our<ref>written as: 帝國　(Empire); read as: ウチ（we, us)</ref> Eastern Stronghold is repulsing the invasion from the Kioka Republic National Army, right?”

“Yeah, Yatorishino-san was just saying how it would be fun if she went as a reinforcement.”

Another boy added more. Without noticing that Yatori didn’t respond, they continued.

“But still, to go that far, even the guys from the Republic would abandon the invasion. In any case, it’s because the Commander-in-Chief of the Eastern Stronghold is that great Mr. Hazaaf Rikan. He is a little distressed now by the New Division, whose status is unknown, but he’ll bring it under control soon...”

“Have the relative escape quickly. The Eastern Province will fall at the hands of the Kioka Army in less than a month.”

Ikta blandly inserted words into the middle of the conversation. At that sinister detail, the group creased their eyebrows.

“...Wait. What do you mean by that?”

“What I said. The Eastern Stronghold will collapse and that whole area will be seized by the Kioka Republic. I pity Lieutenant General Rikan. If he didn’t have a tight choker, this kind of result wouldn’t be necessary.”

“I can’t let that go unchallenged, Ikta Solork. The Eastern Stronghold led by Lieutenant General Rikan is currently devoting its full energy to repelling the barbaric invasion. Since that’s the case, why are you assuming defeat?”

“And belief in certain victory invites consequences. But defeatists like you probably won’t understand.”

That large group unanimously opposing Ikta were students decided on being involved with the military for their career after graduation. At their root was the blind faith to act in accordance with their own nation’s army, changing its name to the abandonment of thinking called "belief in certain victory," and even producing a foolish optimism about the war situation in the Eastern Province.

“I heard a rumour that you’re taking the High Grade Military Officer Exam, but- ha- are you sober? Before passing or not passing, consider whether the Imperial Army wants a coward like you, 'Ikta the Lazy.'”

“Nothing but skipping lectures and practical skills lessons. If we talk about what you do in that time, afternoon naps, idleness, and picking up women come to mind. A refined specimen of a good-for-nothing, master of deadbeat life-- that’s you, don’t you agree, Ikta Solork?”

“Look, he has no words to say back.”

“Come on guys, don’t be that way. This is a day for celebration, so let’s enjoy it without fighting.”

Those things being said by Yatori, from the center of things, elicited only restraint from everyone else. When they left with slightly dissatisfied expressions, the remaining Yatori sighed and began to ask the youth next to her a question.

“...So it’s true, it’s really collapsing? The Eastern Stronghold.”

“Do you think that a boxer who could block a fist has a chance at winning?”

Ikta’s example was simple and sharp. While pouring a refill of palm wine into his cup, he continued.

“If you think calmly, it’s something you understand quickly, isn’t it? The main point, why is the Eastern Stronghold trembling even now in the action zone? The 'Stronghold' is a standing local military organization during peacetime. Because more than three months have passed since the Kioka Army’s invasion began, if we’re seriously planning to win the war, it’s strange that they weren’t able to send military forces from Central a long time ago and replace the Eastern Province District Army.”

The Stronghold that was a standing organization, concerning the insufficient mobility of the military, had the power to protect but not the power to attack. "A boxer that was able to block a fist" that Ikta used as an example was like that. The troops without the ability to make an assertive attack for that reason were under the pressure of a defensive battle they couldn’t foresee.

“That one has no hope of winning with a non-aggressive defense is basics of the basics of military science. Because you’ll just be hit from above guard with an octopus. The current Eastern Stronghold is on the verge of that… no, is it worse? Because the New Division recently released by the Kioka Army from the war has slipped our guard and is causing damage.”

“... You mean the Aerial Warfare Unit, right? Certainly, that’s a threat the Empire didn’t predict.”

Yatori nodded unpleasantly. --The Aerial Warfare Unit. That was the Kioka Army’s New Division, organized to resemble countless soldiers riding blimps. They crossed the national border from the skies and invaded Imperial territory, visiting and dropping large quantities of flaming oil on an towns and army facilities turned into supply relay points.

As a result of the flying altitude being too high, there were currently no measures on the Empire’s side to directly counter Aerial Warfare. From a distant height that neither arrows nor bullets can reach, they could continue causing damage to the Empire. This accumulation of damage would cause the troops of the Eastern Stronghold to suffer over time.

“From the start of the 'air bombings' from Aerial Warfare until now, already how many towns have been burned...? No, if only houses are being burned, then that’s still fine. They burn field crops, burn granaries, and the towns can’t maintain a food supply. The Stronghold’s troops are the same. Concerning food these days, they should already be in a state of distress.”

“But the supplies from Central should have arrived.”

“The amount spread out to all of the people burned out of their homes with the air raids? There’s no way Central has that kind of surplus. Hypothetically, even if they do send it, can they continue that endlessly from now? Even though they have no expectations of winning the main war?”

Saying that, Ikuta slumped, lying down on the bench. As if, ridiculously, that was just about everything he to want to say.

“More than anything, I pity the Commander-in-Chief of the Stronghold, Hazaaf Rikan. The commanding of a lost battle would certainly be bitter, wouldn’t it? This and that, everything was the negligence of the Emperor and Ministry who have no intention waging war seriously.”

“Put an end to it there, Ikta. As I expected, this isn’t the place for this.”

Wary of eavesdroppers in the surroundings, Yatori warned against his speech. The Katjvarna Imperial Family was sacred, forbidden territory. To say nothing of the current wartime, casually speaking those criticisms wouldn’t be tolerated. Particularly, it would invariably involve the contributions of a descendant of a Distinguished Family of the Classical Military Factions, Yatori, with the responsibility... One couldn’t speak carelessly.

“First, rather than talking about a war we can’t influence, there is currently a more constructive topic for us, right?”

“Hnn…? Ahh, this evening’s Graduation Festival? I want to go all out the whole night. Where should I go to drink?”

“You just drunk to your heart’s content! I meant the High Grade Military Officer Exam.”

While holding Kusu face up in his arms, Ikta made a sour face as if he had swallowed a bug.

“Ah-- that depressing event was also left…”

“Even if you indisposed, I’ll have you participate... Really, you do understand it’s significance right?”

Drawing closer in direction of the reclining Ikta’s head, Yatori whispered in a small voice inaudible to their surroundings.

“...Using the Igsem Family connections, I prepared a librarian position at the National Library of the Capital for you. In exchange, I’ll have you take the High Grade Military Officer Exam together with me and fight in my favor during the Secondary Exam Continuation. You also agreed to the deal, right?”

“That’s a given, since the Library of the Capital is the retirement destination for nobility. Lending out various amusements to empty-headed people with riches and leisure time to spare, occasionally maintaining dust-covered, pitiable academic books… just with that I’d have a sum as my salary that doesn’t need worrying about my next meal. For me, that’s a distant dream. Although I did think that it was a cheap-shot scheme, uncharacteristic of you, Yatori. If it’s you, success is ensured even without something like my help, no?”

“Say what you want. If all I had to do was succeed, then I’d fight with just one arm…. However, the results required of eldest daughter of the Igsem family aren’t just that. The distinction of 'top success' is necessary.”

“Haven’t you done nothing but monopolize that distinction with everything from the time at the Academy? It’s about time you surrendered it to someone, you know. You aren’t the only person who wants to sit in the top seat.”

“Look who’s saying that. Just because you didn’t sit in it doesn’t mean I’m the only one who did.”

Hearing that, Ikta stared blankly, possibly in a strange condition due to the heat, picked up [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manila_clam Manila] clamshells from the plates of food he finished eating and one by one began placing them on his head. Yatori’s eyebrows drew in doubtfully.

“...Wait, that, what are you doing?”

“Overestimating myself too much.”<ref>text: 買いかぶりすぎ (overestimating -someone- too much);
homonym: 貝かぶりすぎ (wearing too many clams -on one's head-)</ref>

Without making any kind of comment, Yatori knocked the Manila clams down from the youth’s head.

“...Anyway! You aren’t the type to not use the ability that you’re hiding without any meaning. Particularly for this test, it seems that the youngest of the Remeon family is going to appear as a strong candidate. There’s no being too careful. Treading on you, Yatorishino Igsem will record her first step military rule.”

“Well, I think that’s fine. By what I heard, the league of your fellow Secondary Exam Continuation test-takers don’t seem unusual. Being the first to enter battle and preparing military forces are the basics of the basics of military affairs. 'The many outweigh the few.'”

“If you understand, then that’s fine. Sincerely try not to make a mistake large enough to fail the Primary Written Examination.”

“Yep, I got it, I’ll try my best. Because, unlike you, being involved with the army is the last thing I want to do.”

While responding shamelessly, Ikta skillfully poured a refill of palm wine into cup while lying down.

The High Grade Military Officer Exam-- a barrier which only those who have completed the Childhood Military Discipline Course at a designated educational institution as study material were allowed to challenge, so to speak the first trial that upper echelon cadets needed to surmount to become elite soldiers.

With the case in the army where one Private First Class = two Privates, one couldn’t climb the ranks unless with very large military gains in actual combat, and that promotion reached its limit with the seventh rank from the bottom, the non-commissioned officer "Sergeant Major." But the High Grade Military Officer Exam was something created with the goal of selecting candidates for commissioned officers, and those who passed it were able to acquire the status of "Warrant Officer," one rank above "Sergeant Major," from the beginning. However, the Exam could be taken once per year, up to three times.

Of course, the passing rate was absurdly high. Covering the entire test, they seldom, if ever, cut by 400 times, and they didn’t reduce by 20 times even with just the Primary Written Examination. But since there was a tendency for the people of the Katjvarna Empire to regard soldiers as heroes, the ones who succeeded at this became objects of adoration. It was a chance to acquire both status and prestige….

“Nnn--, national tactics discourse. How bothersome--”

The existence of Ikta in the middle of test-takers facing and squinting their eyes at exam papers, drowsily moving a pencil, was already shockingly out of place. And yet the answering itself was advancing unusually smoothly from the start that the surrounding test-takers alike only felt ashamed.

“Ahh-- the Study of Military Affairs Administration. How tepid--”

Concerning his posture, it was the same as a child forced to do summer homework. Cheek propped up, lips curving in an "へ" shape, eyes somewhat like those of a dead fish. So, falling flat the instant he finished the answers for each subject class, and lying that way without fixing his eyes, he didn’t so much as twitch until the collection of exam papers.

“Geh-- Alderah Theology. How annoying--”

Depending on the personality of the instructor proctoring the Exam, that was a lack of seriousness quite capable of having him ordered from the room, but it appeared that he was blessed by enough luck to slip by.

And, like that, the Exam’s second day arrived, the last subject of which was the "Use of the Military."

“This is the last one, this is the last one…. Hnn?”

Mechanically filling out exam papers, the hand of Ikta, who was practically in the state of a living corpse, abruptly stopped. The theme of the essay question written on the last of the exam papers seized his eye and didn’t let go.

--Freely state your thoughts concerning the Imperial Army’s former General Bada Sankrei, who previously abandoned the Kioka War and was made into a war criminal.

“...”

For the first time since the Exam began, A question was posed that could leave him at a loss. Based on the style of answer, "freely state," it wasn’t characteristic of the questions asked the army. There didn’t seem to be an intention to fit a template.

--However, from the contents, he could sense just a slightly nostalgic scent.

Since Ikta, who without thinking instinctively didn’t want to answer, couldn’t really list criticisms of the Imperial Family on the High Grade Military Officer Exam, and since he had belief that he should already be working on matters in another subject, he recorded this short answer.

--Every hero dies of overwork.

At 7:20PM, the Primary Written Examination ended at every venue, and the over 6,000 test-takers were reduced to fewer than 300 as per every year.

About one month after the completion of that Primary Written Examination. Ikta and Yatori, carrying luggage for a journey on their backs, were gazing at the ocean from the harbor with their respective spirits. As a result of the Secondary Examination Continuation being conducted on the Hirgano Archipelago on the southern side of the Empire, they came to board the transport ship heading to the actual location.

“Things are going just as planned so far, aren’t they? I’m relieved that you passed.”

“It’s because I’d been skipping lectures and doing nothing but exam study ever since the deal was proposed two years ago.”

Ikta answered mixed with a yawn. Unlike the High Grade Military Officer Exam which one can pass with just excellent grades, a librarian position at the National Library of the Capital was exclusive to retiring nobility. Ikta had no chance outside this deal.

“Not that I’m discriminating against library employees, but you’re really working hard for that. It’s not even that you’re particularly a bookworm, right?

“I like books, but if I had to say, any work would be fine. The point is that it’s a librarian at the "National" Library "of the Capital." If just those parts were the same, then I don’t care even if I’m a gardener or a cleaning lady.”

The Katjvarna Empire’s capital Banhataal was the Empire’s core both geographically and politically. Hypothetically, even if the war situation with the Kioka Republic worsened after this, it would be the last of the last to be persecuted. The welfare program was also generous for employees of a national institution like the Library. To be blunt, it was a position which one could slack off on until the nation was on the brink of ruin.

“Once this deal goes smoothly, if I can idle away like that from now until I die, two years worth of exam study is cheap, you know. Since I hate wasting effort, I’m not stingy with that amount, the effort needed for myself to slack off.”

“Haa…. I see. So you’re that kind of person.”

Sighing with half disgust and half admiration, Yatori gazed at the great ocean spreading out before her eyes. On the ocean surface, the waves were low and the winds calm. It was hatefully clear weather. The beach air smelled like a mix of sand and salt.

“The ship is here, Ikta. Come now, Yatori and Shia should go, too.”

Urged on by the light spirit Kusu stored in the pouch on Ikta’s hip, the two lined up and went walking in the ship’s direction.

From the medium-sized ship coming along the harbor, sailors recognizable as soldiers with one glance got off and scrutinizingly appraised Ikta and Yatori’s full lengths.

“Your exam admission tickets.”

After confirming exam admissions tickets from both of them, the sailors silently prompted to the two to board. When they boarded, there were no frivolous ornaments, characteristically of army furnishings, but it was a generally attentively maintained, sanitary ship. The guest cabins to which they were guided, despite being narrow, still had beds stacked three levels high on the left and right--furthermore, an earlier guest was there.

“...Ahh, good afternoon. Perhaps, are you also test-takers?”

The one who spoke with an expression that mixed nervousness and relief, was a tall girl with pale blue hair. Her partner, a water spirit, was sitting on her lap. It was a gentle impression in contrast with the firm Yatori.

“It seems so. I’m Yatorishino Igsem. A 131st Term graduate of the Imperial Segal Grand Academy. My partner is the fire spirit Shia. This is Ikta Solork from the same year and the light spirit Kusu…. You are?”

Slightly surprised by the family name Igsem which Yatori mentioned, she immediately returned a self-introduction.

“I-I’m extremely grateful. Umm, I’m an 11th Term graduate of the Imperial Min Mihaela Nursing Academy, Haroma Bekkel. This little one is my partner, the water spirit Miru. Igsem-san, Solork-san, please be kind to me.”

Sitting on the bed opposite Haroma, Yatori added words in a gentle tone.

“We didn’t settle on using our family names. Yatori is fine, you know.”

“Please, if you would, call me Ik-kun with affection.”

Haroma gave a small laugh at the behavior of Ikta, who teased her with a pompous tone.

“It’s fine if you ignore this person’s joke, Haroma-san. If you go along, you’ll be sucked in by his manner.”

“Hehe… you two get along well, don’t you? Then, if you’d like, please call me Haro. Since my acquaintances all call me that.”

“I’ll impose on your words, Haro…. Your partner is a water spirit, and you yourself come from a Nursing Academy, so I wonder if your targeted Division is the Medics?”

“It’s as you say. While I’m embarrassed about this, it’s my third time as a test-taker, and this is the first time I passed the Written Examination. Since it’s my last chance, it would be nice if they would let me survive, but…”

“The Medics Division, compared to others, does have a low success rate, but I think you have plenty of hope. If we end up competing, I can’t go easy, but if there is a way to cooperate, I’d want to join hands.”

For Yatori, with both a smiling tone and expression, her innermost thoughts were half honest opinion and half calculations. With preparing the "perfect ally with no interest in passing the Exam" called Ikta as her first military gain, she was now in the phase of acquiring allies locally.

“If we can, that’s reassuring. The eldest daughter of the Igsem Family-- I’ve heard rumors of Yatori-san’s fame.”

“Oh, I’m flattered. It would be nice if the actual strength accompanying me was even half of that in the rumors, though…”

When the two began their socializing mixed with modesties, the cabin door opened and a new passenger showed his form. He was a chubby youth with a round face placed on a plump torso. He quickly surveyed the inside of the room, and, startled at one point, widened his eyes.

“Ikta Solork…? W-Why are you here?!”

“Ohh, my buddy Matthew! You passed too? Why how great, how serendipitous!”

Embraced by Ikta who stood up from the bed, the youth called Matthew made an extremely reluctant face. While desperately pushing his companion away, his gaze this time was concentrated on Yatori.

“Tch, Yatorishino… so you’re here too, huh?”

“It’s been a month, hasn’t it, Matthew-kun? I’m glad we were able to meet. It doesn’t seem the same way for you, though.”

“Of course, not. If you had messed up on the Primary Examination, you don’t know how thrilled I’d be.”

Matthew cursed her loathingly. On behalf of Haroma whom he hadn’t met, Yatori inserted an introduction.

“This is Matthew Tetdrich and his partner, the wind spirit Tsuu. He’s in the same year as Ikta and I am. If Haro has a memory of hearing the family name Tetdrich, then please say so. I think he’d be very pleased.”

“What kind of introduction is that?! Whether someone has a memory or not, within the Empire, the Tetdrich Family is still a preeminent Distinguished Family of the Classical Military Factions! It isn’t superior or inferior to ones like Igsem or Remeon!”

“Te-Tetdrich… was it? Umm… If I’ve heard it before or haven’t… It’s not that I don’t feel it’s on the tip of my tongue, but…”

Since Haro unknowingly said something rude, Matthew stamped his feet and ground his teeth in frustration. With that timing, Ikta, as if comforting, or perhaps one should say, as if teasing, clapped a hand on his shoulder.

“It’s fine, Matthew. It’s that major-on-a-minor-scale type of popularity that’s your position. It’s not particularly necessary for all entertainers to have a national fan-base. You’re honestly trying your best on the local route.”

“Just who is an entertainer?! Ahh, come on, whatever is fine, so for the time being, you can let go!”

Followed by Ikta like a ghost in the background, Matthew hugged his knees in a corner of the cabin and sat down in protest. Shaking her head, Yatori restrained Haro, who was trying to say something as if unable to just watch.

“Stand up quietly. In those current circumstances, whatever you say, he’ll take offense to it.”

“H-hahh.... ...Somehow, are you used to the treatment?”

“He’s someone I’ve continued entangled with for four years. Ah, but if Ikta is there, coping with it is easy. It’s like using poison to overcome poison.”<ref>proverb: 毒を以て毒を制する (fighting fire with fire)</ref>

Yatori finished talking with a light smile. When she did, the figure of Ikta talking incessantly to Matthew seemed even to Haro like a poisonous snake twined around its prey. Slightly scared, she averted her gaze.

“...Umm, Yatori-san, you're in the same year as Ikta-san, right?”

“Yeah. He's a friend from since we enrolled in the Grand Academy. Well, it's a strange coincidence, but you might say I got stuck with him.”

As Yatori spoke mixed with a sarcastic laugh, Haro, bringing her mouth slightly closer to her ear, asked in an even smaller voice.

“Umm, Matthew-san also seems the same way, so, then as I expected, Ikta-san is also a descendant of a Distinguished--”

“Hahaha, no~o way. Solork is the name of an orphanage, young lady.”

With laughter suddenly in her ear, Haro without thinking cried “Hyaa?!” and turned around. Ikta, who seemed to have come unnoticed from Matthew's side, had shamelessly encamped next to her and was laughing hysterically.

“A descendant of a Distinguished Family, you said? I have no father and no mother. At the time, I found Kusu when he was working at the Solork Orphanage, collapsed and dying in a decaying vacant basement. I've been with that little guy ever since. Also, luckily since I wasn't that stupid, I was allowed to attend the Grand Academy on a scholarship.”

“Ah, so that's what happened. Excuse me, I asked something rude based on my interest... Kyaa?!”

“It's fine, I don't mind~ Since I'll also do considerably rude things to you from now on.”

After having the back of her hand caressed, an erotic voice rose from Haro's mouth. While watching the spectacle, Yatori held her face with one hand as if to say, “so it's started again...”

“Tall, aren't you… slender. You're even five fingers taller than a boy like me...”

“Hya, I'm 176cm....<ref>176cm is approximately 5'9''</ref> Excuse me, in spite of being a girl, I'm meaninglessly tall...”

“Doesn't it just mean you have good physical development...? ... Ah, your fingers are a little rough. Do you normally do housework by yourself?”

“I-I have five younger brothers, and I'm their older sister... Hyaa! Don't stroke my upper arm...!”

“The eldest daughter of six siblings? My goodness, that's incredible, no, stressful.... What do your parents do?”

“T-They're renting fields from the lord in the area.... But the earnings from just that aren't enough, if I don't get promoted and send money-- Yaa, don't pinch my earlobe, or comb through my hair...!”

The touching that began with the back of her hand, making that its origin, steadily advanced in the direction of her body. To be honest, Yatori thought that it was amusing, but since it'd reach a refinement unsuitable for pictures if that continued, before that happened, she decided to grab Ikta by the nape of his neck and stop him.

“We're stopping there, Ikta. Save picking up women for another time.”

“Ohh, too bad.”

After he was tossed away by Yatori, Ikta returned to the direction of Matthew who was hugging his knees in a corner of the room. Noticing Haro, who was happily freed but breathing very feebly, Yatori called out.

“Are you okay…? Sorry; I stopped him, but it was a little late.”

“Hahh, hah… J-just what did he do to me...?”

“It’s a bad habit of his. Even though he’s not that handsome, for the time being he likes to seduce girls. Left alone with the same pace as now, your breasts would then be massaged, and you taken to bed. Then when you finally notice something, it’d be chirping in the morning.”

“B-br…!? A-Awaah!?”

“Calm down, Haro. If you’re near me, you’re fine.”

While gently hugging Haro’s shoulders, Yatori, giving a sly smile, was exclaiming, “alright, I successfully won her over!” triumphantly in her mind. The Local-Acquisition-of-Allies Phase was commencing smoothly.

Suddenly, the cabin door slowly opened a second time.

The one who shyly showed his face was a handsome boy even taller than Haro. He had clear green eyes and hair tinged with a light green extending to his shoulders. In the pouch on his hip was the form of a wind spirit, the same as Matthew’s Tsuu.

“Umm, is it okay if I come in? Or not, if you’re in the middle of something.”

“Of course you can’t. Get back to your own territory, ikemen<ref name="ikemen">イケメン (ikemen) can refer to a man that is either good-looking or exceptionally ugly</ref>.”

For some reason, Ikta immediately rejected him, but Yatori, sealing his mouth with one hand, welcomed the newcomer.

“Go ahead, come in. Well, everyone did self-introductions, so will you also join in?”

Readily accepting the invitation with a refreshing smile, the youth started his self-introduction as he entered the room.

“I’m Torway Remeon. I’m an 82nd Term graduate of the Imperial Ermi High Grade Academy. This little one is my partner, the wind spirit Safi. Somehow, please be kind to me, everyone. It’s a difficult Exam, but let’s try our best together until we succeed.”

The moment the youth gave that name, the upper body of Matthew, who was crouching in a corner of the room, rose energetically. At the same time, both of Yatori’s eyes opened wide. From some sort of silent agitation, her lips hung loosely.

“...I see. So you’re the Remeons’…”

The third son of the Distinguished Remeon Family of the Classical Military Factions, on equal standing with the Igsems in the Empire. The strongest contender for success in the current term’s High Grade Military Officer Exam. Her biggest rival was in front of her eyes-- with that understanding, Yatori took several deep breaths and calmed her heart, then, with an authority as if exchanging declarations of war, gave her name.

“I’m Yatorishino Igsem. This little one is my partner Shia…. I don’t need to talk about something like my personal history, right?”

“...Yatorishino!? Right, that fiery hair, the Igsem Family’s…! Ahh, my goodness!”

Just hearing his companion’s name, Torway brightened his eyes as if seeing an adored heroine. Even the mouth that until now functioned smoothly suddenly became clumsy, meaninglessly mumbling, “umm, that, uhh,” repeatedly. Looking at that condition of his, Yatori drew in her eyebrows doubtfully.

“...Wait, what? If there’s something you want to say, then say it clearly.”

“I-I can’t mentally prepare myself…. M-Miss Igsem, I--”

“You guys, are full of yourselves.”

The moment Torway steeled himself and tried to say something, Matthew broke in between him and Yatori. Gallantly confronting the two, the plump eldest son of the Tetdrich Family roughened his voice.

“The Igsems’ Close-Quarters Combat Tactic, naturally, and even the Remeons’ [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_of_battle Line-of-Battle] Firearm Combat Tactic aren’t cutting edge anymore. If you guys aren’t the forerunners of the battlegrounds anymore, then you aren’t the stars. I won’t unconditionally let you guys have big egos<ref name="kao">idiom: でかい顔する (to act arrogant); text 7.0: でかい顔はさせない (not allow to act arrogant); text 7.1: 顔が体積的に一番大きい (uses different vocabulary from the idiom; literally: in terms of volume, your face is largest); text 7.2: ...顔...おれの顔...そんなにでかいか... (uses same vocabulary as idiom; literally: ...face...my face...is it that big?)</ref> just because you’re dependents of the Distinguished Families.”

“Umm, you are…?”

“I’m Matthew Tetdrich. Don’t forget this name, youngest of the Remeon Family.”

Matthew gave his name with a menacing look that practically declared war, but hearing that, Torway, in contrast to his companion, gave a charming smile.

“Remembering people’s names is my strong point. Let’s try our best together and succeed, Matthew-kun.”

“Hmph, Using false friendship to throw me off guard is useless, you know.”

“Matthew-kun… Matthew-kun, huh…. …Hm~m, can I call you Maa-kun?”

“Haa!?”

Given a nickname without any context, Matthew widened his eyes. Meanwhile, Yatori, who was interrupted in a conversation with her rival, sighed and pushed his body aside.

“...It’s natural that the Combat Tactics invented by our ancestors become old things as time passes. From the start, I had no intention in the least of hiding behind the glory of the past. In addition, if you let me say so, Matthew-”

Meaningfully leaving a beat, while intently watching her companion, Yatori finished speaking with a scornful laugh.

“Looking at things objectively, undeniably, in terms of size, your ego is the largest among us all<ref name="kao" />.”

“W-wha!”

Precisely prodded at a physical characteristic which he was habitually self-conscious about, Matthew groaned with a miserable face. Charging in without bearing in mind the difference in rank would result in his defeat, that was a pattern evident from his time as a student.

“Kuraa~, don’t bully Matthew.”

Ikta forced his way in as if reading in monotone from a script. Torway shook his head with an embarrassed face.

“I didn’t mean to bully him- if I ruined the mood, then I’m sorry. By the way, you...”

“Hmm, let there be silence. Two hunters<ref>written as: 猛禽 (birds of prey); read as: ハンター　(hunter)</ref> aren’t needed on one hunting ground.”

“E-eh?”

“Listen and be astonished, you have been handed down a guilty verdict in the face of judgement. The nature of the offense is precisely an attractive face and figure. According to the Scriptures of Alderah, death unto all ikemen!”<ref name="ikemen" />

“Your speech just now, that’s the stuff of an Inquisition! And at the minimum, have a back and forth in your conversations!”

When Yatori interrupted as the straight man<ref>generally, the two members of a comedy duo are known as the straight man （突っ込み／ツッコミ） and the funny man　（惚け／呆け／ボケ）</ref>, Torway sent her a look that asked, “an acquaintance?” She sighed and gave Ikta’s introduction.

“This guy is Ikta Solork. Like Matthew, he is in the same year as I am. Although he has a habit of threatening good-looking males for the time being, don’t mind it too much. He just has a strong sense of territory.”

“Ikemen should go explode! Grrr!”

Yatori explained grabbing the nape of the growling Ikta’s neck.

“...Is there a good relationship? Between you two. ”

“We just spend a lot of time together.”

Yatori responded bluntly, but anyone’s eyes could see affection from her back and forth with Ikta. Torway returned his gaze to Ikta a second time, and, with an expression vaguely mixed with envy, slowly extended his right hand.

“I’m Torway, please take care of me, Ikta-kun…. That is, I wonder if you’ll be good friends with me?”

Stopping the threats, even Ikta intently watched his companion. Those pupils had the shrewdness to see into one’s interior. Whether or not Toway’s mild-mannered demeanor was a calculated thing-- he had temporarily inferred from the back and forth until now, and for those results, he reached the conclusion that this one was a good person of the natural airhead variety.

“...I’m Ikta Solork. Repeating in my imagination the state of your face smashed apart so that it lost its structure about ten times, I was able to reach a tolerant mood. I’ll be friendly with you.”

It was just a slip of his refreshingly honest opinion, but it was nevertheless a condescending attitude. But, luckily, since Torway was a youth who wasn’t particular about minute details, a practically miraculous handshake was able to connect between the two.

“Mhmm, take care of me, Ikta-kun…. Ahh, that’s right, can I call you Ik-kun?

“No, I refuse. What the hell are you talking about?”

Although Torway was naturally eager to use a nickname despite it being their first meeting, continuing from Matthew, Ikta was Ikta, and he naturally gotten rid of that mercifulness.

“Really, Ik-kun, was it? Don’t be ridiculous, she is the only one who can call me that.”

Black eyes filled with meaning turned to Haro’s direction. He suddenly included a character that had been outside the mosquito net until now into the circle, and, in addition, even though she didn’t ask him, he gave her introduction.

“She is Haroma Bekkel. She is aiming to be a commander in the Medics, and she has five younger brothers at home. She’s a very good kid, you know. I guarantee it.”

“I-Ikta-san!? The flow of that introduction, it might lead to a big misunderstanding…!”

Haro was flustered and trying to make amends, but, unfortunately, Ikta hadn’t said anything wrong content-wise until now. Unaware of the circumstances, Torway exhibited the merits of guessing in the wrong direction.

“I see, so that’s how it is. Mhmm, you two, you really suit each other.”

“'That’s' how what is!? Noo, don’t look at me with such warm eyes…!”

Ikta, having twisted facts into a convenient form and thoroughly delighting in those results, unexpectedly had his foundation shaken violently. With the ship starting its engine and leaving the harbor, Yatori settled the area for the time being

“Since self-introductions are roughly finished, everyone, let’s settle down for now. Even if we are blessed by the wind, it’s a long trip close to two days until the Hirgano Archipelago. Concerning what happens after we’re dropped off on the other side, we should preserve our energy.”

“Ahh, that’s right. Then, shall we decide on each of our beds and collect our luggage?”

“Hey Haro, which position is good for you? Top? Bottom? Behind? Ahh, sitting face to face is good too, hehehe.”

“Why are you only asking me!? Also that, are we really talking about bed positions!?”

“...Ego… my ego… is it it that big…?<ref name="kao" /> ...mutter mutter…”

Then they each settled on their own beds, weary from traveling until now, the five entered a light sleep. Incidentally, at the end of heated discussion, Ikta’s bed was assigned the farthest diagonally from Haro.

With the rocking of ship growing violent due to a sudden deterioration of the weather three hours after they left port, Ikta and the others, all of them in the same cabin, began to open their eyes in turn. The long trip by boat, still in its opening stages. From anyone’s perspective, there was too much time remaining.

“U-ummm… 7--6 Bombing Troops… no, 3--3 Wind Gunning Troops.”

“Are you finished with that? Well then, for me let’s have 4--6 Air Gunning Troops with the merging of war forces and pieces from both sides.”

Sitting on a bed face to face, Matthew and Torway were waging war in military shogi. Both the one who brought the pieces and board and the one who proposed the contest was Matthew, but the war situation appeared to be unfavorable to him.

“3, 4, 5--7 Wind Gunning Troops Battalion. ...Umm, with that, maybe four pawns are checkmated, right?”

“W-wait a minute! I still haven’t…”

Matthew was growing desperate and gazing intently at the board, but when he looked, his own army was increasingly at a disadvantage with every glance. He understood that the the outcome was already decided with the first minute and then devoted three minutes to mental preparation, and finally, he squeezed out the few words, “...I died.”

"Damn it, one more game! This one was just one foolish mistake after another!"

Even while saying that, the game record was already facing the reality of Matthew's third consecutive defeat, but, hating to lose, he couldn't readily acknowledge the difference in their ability. Torway, sensing that only an unproductive struggle would continue at this rate, felt worried about his companion and made a proposal.

"Hey Maa-kun, is it okay if we give our impressions of the match? The game just now, there's a part I want to reflect on."

Since Matthew also accepted based on reason that progress didn't exist without calm reflection on defeat, he, though reluctantly, consented to Torway's proposal. Seeing that they had pretty much come to a stand still, it seemed there was no room to lodge a complaint about the overly familiar way of address, "Maa-kun."

"Uhh, even though I simulated until the mid-game.... Which was the deciding turn? Was it when I sent out too many Bombing Troops at the sixth turn, or when I lost the Medics at the 12th turn...?"

When Torway, taking care not to injure his companion's pride, tried to state his opinion, a third person's voice, even though it wasn't even called for, came down from overhead.

"--It was the 21st turn, my buddy Matthew. It was when you let your Air Gunning Troops, whose the merging of war forces was obstructed, uselessly be taken by the enemy line. There, you should have graciously retreated, and shifted to protect.”

Clicking his tongue at Ikta’s seemingly taunting voice, Matthew aligned the pieces with a loathsome expression. Torway widened his eyes and looked at the topmost bunk.

“Ik-kun, you remembered the course of the game? I wondered if you couldn’t see the board well from there.”

“I said not to call me Ik-kun, ikemen. Next time, I’m hitting you with a pillow.”

His reply was blunt, but Torway honestly valued Ikta highly. That he remembered the course of the game was a considerable thing, but, it was the fact that he also grasped the offenses and defenses that deserved praise. The state of the game which Ikta considered to have separated victory from defeat was exactly the same part Torway was about to mention.

“Everyone, I made tea~”

Luckily with that, carrying a large earthenware teapot and cups for the number of people, Haro came back to the room together with Yatori. She first tried to pour it using the table that was installed, but due to the swaying of the foundation, the earthenware teapot seemed nearly about to fall, they switched over to the method of pouring while holding the cups one by one in their hands.

“It’s swaying considerably, isn’t it...? When we borrowed the galley, we were able to see the condition of the ocean surface a little, but the waves are definitely amazing.”

“Facing the strong effect of the west wind, it seems the course is deviating quite a lot to the east. Since we might be delayed with correcting the course, the boat trip seems like it will drag on longer than we thought. Really, a boat is a vehicle we have no control over.”

While taking a of tea from Haro, Yatori unsympathetically tied up her hair. Her gaze was casually turned to the military shogi board that Matthew and Torway held between them.

“What’s this, were you playing shogi? The result, how many consecutive defeats for Matthew?”

“W-why does the question take my consecutive defeats for granted...?”

“Your objection having no vigor means that that’s exactly what happened, doesn’t it? ...Well, I don’t think it’s possible to care that much, though. It’s not like a shogi king equals a great commander anyway.”

Torway found and developed the beginning of a new topic in Yatori’s words, who had added a follow-up just in case.

“Now that you mention it, regarding the interview in the final stage of this Exam, it seems you play a game of shogi with actively serving High Grade Military Officers. If one didn’t apply their ability in shogi against the ability of a commander like that, then what kind of meaning does this arrangement have, don’t you agree?”

“Since it’s an interview while playing a game, I think it’s something that can measure your ability to multitask<ref>written as: 同時処理 (simultaneous processing); read as: マルチタスク　(multitask)</ref>. Even if you become a High Grade Military Officer, if you can’t manage two or three tasks at the same time, you’ll become useless due to going over-capacity.”

Yatori’s answer was grounded in logic. Continuing, she looked at the figure of Ikta extending just his arm from the bed and accepting a cup of tea. While amazed at his laziness, she passed over the question from Torway.

“Ikta, what do you think?”

“..Nnn, it’s rather delicious. However, rather than tea leaves steeped with milk, I prefer separately warmed milk added to a somewhat strong tea brewed with boiling water; I wonder if that way of brewing is preferable.”

“Who asked for your opinion about the flavor of tea? Incidentally, the one who recommended boiling the milk was me, you know. If by any chance it’s spoiled, it’s not that I can’t say it’s my fault.”

For just having spent a lot of time together, Yatori was unusually smooth in dealing even with her friend’s ridiculous banter. While raising just his upper body and sipping tea on the bed, Ikta carefreely answered the original question.

“I think that Yatori’s reasoning was roughly accurate. Even excluding that point, it’s because this, in its own way, is full of the basics of art of war. It’s not bad as mental exercise. However, if I’m allowed to state my opinion-- if soldiers play anyway, blindfolded shogi that doesn’t use a board is better.”

“--Huhh? Ik-kun, why-- Wapu!”

The falling pillow landed a direct hit on Torway’s face. Suddenly sticking his head out from the bed, Ikta yelled.

“Ik-kun forbidden! ...If you apply shogi to war, namely, the board equals the battleground. I ask a question with that, though, when you’re waging a war in reality, the commander look down on the entire battlefield from above the sky with the God’s point of view?”

“...That’s impossible. Regarding the locations of enemy forces, that’s restricted information, so that’s just about a situation where you can only make guesses. Concerning the allies under command, they aren’t restricted to moving as planned.”

“That’s it. In real war, fighting starts when you grasp the positions of your allies and enemies. Necessary for that is the imaging ability to derive a whole image from fragmentary information. I won’t say that blindfolded shogi can train that, but it can create a foundation for the power of imagination. First you hold the 'board' in your mind. Starting with that, imagine the soldiers moving on the board... Ah, is there more tea?"

While smoothly stating his point of view, Ikta was having his tea poured for him by Haro in a precarious position with his arm extended from the bed, as often was the case. Torway and Haro were listening admiringly on one side, and Matthew was largely ignoring him and scowling at the board, but with that, the ship swayed on a grand scale.

"Ah." "Ahhh--!?"

The tea that spilled from Ikta's cup landed a direct hit on Matthew's head with a devilish angle. While lightly apologizing with a "sorry, sorry," to his companion, who ended up turning a somersault from the heat, he suddenly shifted his gaze to the cabin door.

"There, who is that?"

Yatori called out looking in the same direction as Ikta.

She was distracted by Matthew's scream, but at the moment the boat swayed, the sound of something colliding with the door resounded. Yatori, thinking it was suspicious, walked over and opened the front door of the room.

"U-uhh...oww..."

She caught a petite young girl wearing a large hat on the opposite side of the open door. She couldn't see the face hidden by the wide brim, but the blond hair that flowed out, not fitting inside the hat, was smooth and beautiful. Her garments were also plain, but it was obvious that the fabric was superior, and they were worn somewhat elegantly.

"A test-taker... it doesn't seem that that's the case. Where are you from, young lady? Do you need something from us?"

When Yatori smiled gently and asked her question, the young girl seemed at a loss for a reply and mumbled, "e-excuse me," as a way to dodge and quickly leave down the hallway. Watching her leave, Yatori tilted her head.

"I wonder was that was? Well, at the very least, considering that an ordinary passenger just happened to be on a ship that's boarding High Grade Military Officer cadets... Ikta, what do you think?"

"Nnn... Five~six years remain until she is suitable for consumption. Until she is perfectly ripened, perhaps it's 15 years..."

"No one asked for the lower limit of your strike zone--"

The sudden assault of a severe vibration in the hull interrupted Yatori's retort. Everyone simultaneously lost balance, and the contents of the cups they held in their hands spilled completely. Clearly differentiated from the swaying until now, that was the impact of a serious collision, not something caused the waves.

"--What's that!?"

While being the fastest of all of them in the same room to regain her balance, Yatori took an analysis of the situation. On the other hand, Torway was holding and propping up the shoulder of Haro, who fell face up, and Ikta, having fallen from the topmost bunk, crushed the elastically abundant body of Matthew and was shamelessly unharmed.

“O, Matthew, don’t tell me you saved me by bravely volunteering your body… Let us toast to our friendship.”

“Ughh… someone like you should’ve fallen headfirst…”

About when Matthew, having pushed Ikta aside, finally rose, the spirits that were being quiet on the beds also sensed a state of emergency and came alive, settling into their respective masters’ pouches. When everyone confirmed each other’s lack of injuries, a sailor’s yell resounded from the open door.

“P-passengers, keep calm and listen! The bilge of this ship struck a reef and has started flooding. Just now, an order for a complete abandonment of ship has been handed down from the ship’s captain! Those who can move, immediately go to the deck, and following the sailor’s instructions, and board the lifeboats!”

The voice instructing evacuation was shrill from the sense of impending crisis. Running aground, flooding, complete abandonment of ship-- from these words, everyone in that situation simultaneously imagined a single, fatefully derived end, together with an image of hopelessness.

“Everyone, you heard that! We’re going to the deck!”

However, there was one person who brushed aside the pessimistic premonition in an instant and started moving. That was Yatori Igsem.

“There’s no need to rush, form one line behind me and follow! Luggage to a minimum!”

The one who could take control of the area without wavering in this situation was a human called Yatori. She had the leadership to establish order immediately in a group that was reduced to a disorderly crowd facing a state of emergency.

And, everyone besides her as well were not resigned to the disorderly crowd in this setting.

A baptism of torrential rain and furious wind welcomed them, who, making Yatori their leader and running up the stairs, emerged onto the deck. The mast, whose thickness exceeded that of an adult’s waist, made creaking sounds with the wind pressure, and on top of that the sailors were working, risking their lives, to bring down the sails that were filled with wind and flapping wildly. Already the hull was sinking 20 times lower than normal, and, in addition, the time was early evening. The ocean surface, having just descended into darkness, was pitch dark the whole time they were working.

“Stormy weather, is it…? A curse of bad weather in this situation, we’re people hated by God.”

“I wonder whose behavior was to blame. People with an idea try raising your hand.”

“Without even thinking you’re the only possibility, right? From now on let’s abstain from jokes with the Scriptures<ref>text: 聖典 (Scriptures); homonym: 晴天 (good weather)</ref> as material.”

While striking a carefree banter with Ikta, Yatori, as the leader of the group, turned to the rear of the deck. There, four lifeboats had been readied, and the preparations were in order for one boat to launch from the sailors’ hand to the ocean surface. Instructions flew from the sailors to Yatori’s group who had come around.

“Help board from the people who came! You, the citizens, are maximum priority!”

Yatori, making a slightly surprised expression at undertone of 'the citizens,' quickly shook off the sentiment and resumed action. She had Haro board first, then Matthew, Torway, Ikta’s turn, then finally she herself entered the boat. When everyone’s bodies were settled into the boat, the sailors watching Ikta’s figure apologetically added something.

“Your partner is a light spirit, isn’t he? Listen up, because we ran aground, some injuries came up among the sailors, and right now we still can’t let sailors board this boat. Since the lifeboats are all moored to the mothership, they won’t drift away, but when it comes to it, the ropes need to be cut to send off your companions. At that time, please transmit your location to nearby boats with a light signal. Even when you’re more or less drifted off, gather together with no exceptions!”

After seeing Ikta and Kusu nod in unison, the sailor let out the mooring ropes and lowered the boat containing them onto the ocean surface. The small boat abandoned to the great stormy ocean, rocking violently left and right, didn’t allow the people it held to have the sensation that they were living.

“Th-this isn’t a joke you know! With an ocean this rough, to find shelter in any boat...!”

“Maa-kun, lean to the right a little more! Bekkel-san to the left! We’re making the balance of body weight uniform in the whole of the boat! With these waves, if we capsize once then we can’t recover a second time anymore!”

The next to reach composure after Yatori, Torway sent out instructions, and Matthew and Haro, lost in shock, obeyed them. On the other hand, Ikta, in the middle of a pounding downpour, was motionlessly concentrating his eyes on the fatally sinking mothership.

“What’s the matter, Ikta? Strike your usual needless comments. When you’re quiet, there’s a bad energy.”

“I didn’t know you took my behavior as an omen. ...More importantly, Yatori, it’s that girl.”

When Yatori, hearing that, followed Ikta’s line of sight, the circumstances of the young girl, who they came across a while ago in front of their cabin, on the deck trying to board a lifeboat entered her eyes. The trembling of her thin shoulders was perceptible even with a distant view.

It didn’t seem the girl was at any age to travel alone, but she couldn’t see the figure of another companion.

“...Ah!?”

That moment, a tragedy occurred. The hull tilted violently, receiving a wide blow from the waves on its flank, and, with the momentum, the young girl that was standing on the edge of the deck was thrown toward the ocean. Airborne for an instant-- without the time even to shriek, her small body was swallowed by the black ocean and disappeared.

One of the sailors who barely managed to stay on the deck, with a float tube in one hand, dispatched bloodshot eyes to the ocean surface.… But, too late. Even if he tried to send help, her form had been concealed in the valleys of the waves a long time ago.

“Mm, bad luck. That one’s going to die.”

Murmuring a reality exceedingly close to past tense, Ikta immediately stood up and began taking off his outer garments.

“Kusu. If you see that girl again, shine on her with a high beam<ref>written as: 凝集光　(concentrated gathered light); read as: ハイビーム　(high beam)</ref> for me.”

“Ikta, that’s dangerous. You should stop…”

“I’m trusting you.”

Accepting his master’s petition, Kusu, in discussed circumstances, reluctantly slipped out of the hip pouch and, standing on the pouch’s edge, fired a strong light from his abdomen’s 'light cavity' and began illuminating one section of the ocean surface.

Continuing, Ikta grabbed a lifesaving float tube that was scattered around the bilge, and entrusted to Yatori the free end of the rope knotted to it.

“If you let go easily, I’ll come back for you as a ghost.”

“Wai- you--!?”

Without affording Yatori time to think, Ikta dove headfirst into the ocean. Undaunted by the raging waves and treading the water with his limbs, he advanced directly to the location shown by the high beam. There was nothing for everyone left on the boat to do but hold their breaths and watch his back attentively as he nearly slipped into the middle of the pitch black ocean.

“...Bwahh!”

From the observers’ side, after the ten-odd seconds which felt like an eternity, Ikta,hugging the body of the young girl, which was as limp as a corpse, rose to the surface. Yatori and the others breathed a great sigh of relief.

“It’s impossible, I’m dying! Save mee!”

Answering the shriek that slipped out in that time, the four simultaneously began to pull the rope. While sustaining balance in the middle of rocking capable of toppling them even now, only drawing two people up to the boat was difficult.

“Hahh, hahh… Ahh that was close… Seawater’s freakin’ salty…”

“Stop complaining, if you’re going to do something cool, then show off until the end…. Haro, how’s this girl’s condition?”

“She hasn’t drunk any seawater, and her breathing and pulse are normal. It seems she’s still in a state of shock, but…”

Laying her head down on Haro’s lap, the young girl was silent. At the moment, it seemed that her slightly opened eyes would recover the light of reason soon, but simply escaping without confronting things as they were, that might have been a fortunate thing.

“It appears that there she doesn’t have bruises or lacerations. ...Hmm? This…”

In order to check for presence of injuries, Yatori, dividing the work with Haro and examining the girl’s body, had her attention captured by a ring fitted onto the the girl’s middle finger. It was a superior piece that also functioned as a seal, but rather than a mere expensive feel, the design plated in gold onto the silver base was too familiar.

“It’s no use, this one won’t hold anymore! I’m cutting the rope!”

That yell caused Yatori’s thinking to freeze. With the wave received in the flank seeming to have been a finishing blow, the mothership’s sinking already reached the recovery-impossible range. In accordance with their duty, the remaining sailors on top of the descending boat, executed the severance of the towing rope, which would become the job to last them a lifetime. The boat containing Ikta and the others had its connection to the mothership severed, and began to genuinely drift away.

“...Don’t tell me…. We were the only ones who were able to escape?”

Now, while tightly biting her lip and gazing at the form of the mothership, which was only waiting to be completely submersed, even Yatori, being who she was, had a haggard expression. In the background, Matthew was flailing his limbs and raising a piercing cry.

“Wh-what’re we gonna do? Thrown right in the middle of a stormy sea in a small boat, we’re going to die like this! ”

Torway bound the panicking Matthew’s arms behind his back and held him down. On the other side, tightly hugging the body of the unconsciousness girl, Haro protested weakly with a whimper.

“W-we’re going to die, aren’t we? I-is there still anything--”

“...We’ll do what we can<ref>text: 人事は尽くしている; proverb: 人事を尽くして天命をまつ (Man proposes, God disposes; Do your best and let the heavens do the rest; literally: devote yourself and wait for destiny)</ref>. For now, we survive the storm.”

Yatori said it in a firm voice as if giving everyone instructions, herself included.

In agreement with that, Ikta, despite sniffling, took over her words.

“Ah-choo! ...As Yatori said, from this point forward is the domain of chance. There’s nothing we can do until the storm is over. Slack off as much as possible, and after, let’s put God to work.”

==Translator's Notes and References==
<references/>

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|-
| Back to [[Tenkyou no Alderamin:Volume 1 Prologue|Prologue]]
| Return to [[Tenkyou no Alderamin|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Tenkyou no Alderamin:Volume 1 Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Tenkyou no Alderamin:Volume 1 Chapter 1

2015-04-28T09:17:34Z

Chocolatkey:

==The Empire at Twilight==

In the Katjvarna territory, the four seasons basically don’t exist. It’s the tropics.

There is no spring nor autumn, and, of course, no winter. There is only the season when the general of summer seriously attacks, and when he slightly loosens his hand. It’s allowable to call half of the Empire’s history, the history of the fight with this brave general.

Therefore, between the slender and tall [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dipterocarpaceae dipterocarp] trees-- the figure of somebody fast asleep with his body entrusted to a hanging hammock was possibly the form of humanity’s triumph against the general of summer.

“Ikta, please wake up, Ikta.”

A small, lovable humanoid "something" climbed aboard that someone’s chest, which rose and fell with the breathing of his slumber, and shook the body eagerly. A large face and short limbs, a round form, a "light cavity" in his body. That form was undeniably a light spirit, one pillar of the elemental spirits which served as the good partners of humanity.

“...Nnn…what is it, Kusu? Didn’t I say I’d sleep through the graduation ceremony?...”

Taking off the hat that shaded his face, the somebody took up the light spirit called Kusu with both hands. He was a black-haired, sleepy-eyed youth. The shirt and navy blue pants worn on his body were unrecognizably misshapen, but it was possible that they were a uniform that in some way matched with the hat.

“So, it ended.”

“...Hmm?”

While staring up and down at the spirit held in his arms, the sleepy-eyed youth-- Ikta tilted his head.

“If progress was as planned, the Imperial Segal Grand Academy’s 131st Term Graduation Ceremony ended just about now, and they should be shifting to the Communal Meal between graduates and guardians. Would it be unwise to have a meal here?”

Hearing that, Ikta casually turned his gaze to the skies, and, indeed, the sun had risen considerably compared to when he looked before he slept.

“Certainly, this is terrible. Let’s miss this meal, even though it’s free.”

Ikta, having sluggishly lowered his body from the hammock and stood on the ground, stretched widely. His back cracked, his sleepy conscious just then awoke, and all at once his hunger and thirst attacked.

“Ugh, I have a headache… light dehydration, I wonder?”

“It’s because you slept a long time in this heat. First, let’s stop by a well and replenish our water supply.”

Ikta brought the body of Kusu who so advised him to the special pouch he attached to his own hip and snugly stored him there. For the slow-footed spirit, that was the default position during travel.

“Well, shall I endure it just a little? Just for today, since it’s a waste to quench our thirst with tepid water.”

After quickly retrieving the hammock from the tree trunks, Ikta, even while grimacing from his headache, started running through the inside the forest in high spirits.

“I’m Yahg the physical education instructor, congratulations on your graduation, Miss Igsem. Ah, the High Grade Military Officer Exam is drawing closer before you. I think that, if it’s you, then you’ll definitely pass, but don’t relax even a little alright?”

“I receive your advice gratefully, Instructor Yahg. I’m thinking of putting the things I learned here to best use in practice.”

After the graduation ceremony, the Academy president’s long speech, having calculatingly joined forces with the fierce heat, actually sent eight students out to the medical room. Finally, Yatorishino Igsem of those who moved to the Communal Lunch under the grand pavilion as per the schedule, not being able to dine properly, was savoring the annoyances of being an honor student.

“Oh, Yatorishino-kun, congratulations on your graduation. I’m Kobakk from educational guidance. As expected of the top of her class. Are you also expecting the same results from the High Grade Military Officer Exam?”

“Thank you very much, Instructor Kobakk. I wish devote my whole energy to meet expectations.”

--The top student understands it, even without you guys saying. So let me go already!

While she continued the unpleasant reception, in actuality, nothing but that was repeating in her mind.

If they came just to congratulate her on graduating, that would still be okay. There was no helping that she felt unhappy that, after words of congratulations, each and every one of the instructors added their own names. Furthermore, that type of people generally, in school life up to now, was a group with weak connections to Yatori.

Because being forgotten was scary, they tried to make even a small impression from the start. It was a ridiculous idea. But still, as the top of her class who combined her character with wisdom and courage, she had to take on a manner devoted to etiquette.

“Ah, alright! The second serving of ice cream is here!”

Yatori’s ears twitched at the detail exclaimed by another student in the near vicinity…. icecream!

As might be expected from the congratulation of the graduates of the Imperial Grand Academy, fancy cuisine to match the occasion was lined up on the tables of the assembly hall. Fish fry covered with plenty of spices, meat soup boiled with a mountain of spices, mixed rice boiled together with so many spices that you’d die. The flavor of spices which were used for the purpose of sterilization, seasoning, and metabolism acceleration was an essential characteristic of Katjvarna. Since Yatori was accustomed to the stuff itself, she didn’t mind it.

However, she just now came from the president’s long speech. She was all out of such things like sweat, and the temperature of her lips, dry and papery, surpassed the normal by two degrees. Eat foods with plenty of spices and accelerate metabolism → sweat and get a refreshing coolness- she didn’t need to undergo a process as irritating as the one she had been until this time. Yatori’s body desired a more direct "coolness."

One way or the other finishing the conversation with the instructors at an appropriate place, she turned to the direction of the voice from earlier and started walking with a quick pace. Icecream-- that was undeniably the most appealing sound to anyone in this country. [[Image:Alderamin v01 027.png|thumb|Her fingers, as they took the spoon handle, overlapped with the fingers of a youth trying to reach for it at the same time.]]In Katjvarna, far from snow and never even having had frost fall, the only ones that could make the precious gem called ice were the water spirits. In addition to that, they couldn’t make a lot at once, and the majority of it circulated as an industrial coolant. The luxury of "eating ice" was a pleasure only for days with special, joyous things.

Given out to many hands, the remaining amount now was in a precarious state. Yatori, barely enduring the urge to starting running- despite doing nothing but praying that enough for her remained- finally arrived in front of the plate.

She breathed a sigh of relief without thinking. The icecream on top of the large plate was really only a small amount, scraped together and served on a small plate, would finally be enough for one person. It was by a hair’s breadth…. While imagining the coolness of the ice slipping down her throat, she placed a hand on the serving spoon-

“Ah.”

Her fingers, as they took the spoon handle, overlapped with the fingers of a youth trying to reach for it at the same time.

“...Ikta.”

“Ah, Yatori. Congratulations on graduating. As expected of the top of her class. I’m proud to be in the same year.”

While giving the false compliment, the black-haired youth resistantly put strength into the tightly gripped spoon. Yatori also did the same. Grappling with the spoon from left and right, the two squared off in front of the plate.

“...You, didn’t show up at the graduation ceremony right?”

“Well, that was rude of me. My heart was always together with everyone.”

“I have no interest in the your peculiar, conveniently detachable heart. So, where was the main body?”

“Overpowered by sleep in the forest behind the school. I couldn't help worrying about how many people collapsed this year.”

“Eight people were incapacitated by listening.... So, you, who for some reason skipped the graduation ceremony, only show up for the Communal Lunch like nothing happened?”

“Because of this, there was no lunch today in the dormitories. Even if you let me sleep through the graduation ceremony, dining is compulsory.”

“Like I’d accept your excuse. Anyway, remove your hand.”

To Yatori who ordered in a threatening tone, Ikta shrugged his shoulders and gave a villainous smile.

“That the world-famous top graduate can’t concede one plate of ice cream to another person…”

“Ngh.”

“I’m disappointed… The teachers would probably be disgusted. To think that the someone such as the eldest daughter of the Igsem Family is so shameful…”

Drawn out by the reference to her family’s honor, the strength gradually left Yatori’s hand. Ikta, having successfully stolen the serving spoon, gleefully served the remaining icecream on a small plate.

“As expected of Yatorishino Igsem. Her pride higher than a mountain, her heart larger than than the ocean. It seems I truly have a good friend-- Ah, ow!?”

The moment he brought the filled plate to his body, a tingling numbness ran through Ikuta’s left arm. Without drawing attention, Yatori’s quickly dispatched fist hit the nerves in his elbow. Firmly catching the plate slipping out of his hand mid-fall and claiming it as her own, Yatori gave a triumphant smile.

“Thank you for going out of your way to serve it for me, Ikta-kun. A gentleman does things ladies first.”

“The result is the honor of receiving of your praise.”

Ikta retorted despite having lost the argument, rubbing his elbow with tearing eyes.

“...Mm~m.”

The coolness and sweetness spreading in her mouth, the scent of cinnamon leaving her nose, the sensation of icecream thawed by her body heat sliding down her throat. Yatori was shivering at sensuality of those things while mindlessly holding the spoon in her mouth.

“I'm being restored to life. Icecream is the ''best''.”

“That’s so true isn’t it? On the other hand, I’m hot and about to die. No, I’ve been dead for a long time.”

With a drink in a porcelain cup in one hand, Ikta was slouching on a bench set up in a corner of the party hall. He was glaring resentfully at Yatori’s blissful expression with a sidelong glance.

“How exaggerated. The palm wine is chilled in itself, isn’t it?”

“The alcohol<ref>written as: 酒精 (wine spirits/ethyl alcohol); read as: アルコール　(alcohol)</ref> is weak and it wasn’t fermented enough. Therefore, I won’t acknowledge this stuff as alcohol.”

Despite saying that, Ikta, with a large jug of palm wine placed on his bench, was draining the contents of his cup and pouring himself several refills from there. When his thirst was finally quenched, he came with both arms filled to capacity with food from the tables and began eating incessantly.

“Nng...mmm…. Considering that this is a party for the Imperial Grand Academy, the quality of the food being served is equal to the Empire’s dignity. The reality that it’s declining is an alarming thing, you know, Yatori-kun.”

“Be quiet. Because normal students- unlike you, who slips in every year- only attend once, the quality of the food isn’t something they care about, you know.”

While speaking, Yatori carried the last spoonful of icecream to her mouth with a trace of regret. Without thinking, she was gazing at the table, but there was currently no sign that more would come. She couldn’t help but be reminded of Ikta’s speech.

“Damn, I guess that was the end of this year’s icecream. In any case, it’s because the price of the milk and honey sprinkled on top of the ice, which is produced directly in the kitchen, seems to have risen quite a lot since the year began.”

Thus complaining, Ikta, as if giving into despair, swigged palm wine.

Stored in the pouch on his waist, his partner, the light spirit Kusu, raised his eyes appearing anxious about the circumstances.

“Ikta, drink alcohol moderately. It’s harmful to the body.”

“I guess so, Kusu. Opportunities in which I can drink enough to harm my body are rare, you know.”

While watching that usual back and forth between the two, Yatori innocently brought her hand to her right hip and caressed the face of her partner being stored there. With "fire chambers" in both hands, he was the deep-red fire spirit Shia.

“It seems you’re having difficulties as always, Kusu. Shia is worried as well.”

“Thank you very much, Yatori. Shia has blessed with a responsible master.”

“Agreement.”

After speaking only that with a sigh, Shia became silent for a second time.

He seemed cold, but considering the two, he was closer to a spirit's standard mode. A spirit's personality was shaped by accepting his master's influence, but ones with communication abilities as high as Kusu were rare, and spirits attached to soldiers were especially liable to becoming uncommunicative.

"Ah, Yatori-sama! Congratulations on graduating at the top of your class!”

Having found Yatori’s figure, six students from the crowd came to encourage her. Certainly not handling them coldly, she answered them with a smile, the same as when she addressed the instructors.

“Thank you. Also, congratulations to you, too.”

When a voice was returned from Yatori, the students who came to have a conversation, regardless of gender, became excited. Her red hair extending past her shoulders with its tips curling in and out intermingling, the pupils of her large eyes seeming to symbolize intelligence and sincerity, her stylishly-worn uniform unwrinkled by the heat. That was a figure as if dignity were painted in a picture.

With excellence in both the military and literary arts united with a personal history as a descendant of the Distinguished Igsem Family of the Classical Military Factions, Yatorishino Igsem received greater expectations and respect from students in the same class than anyone else…. But, to that extent, the companion together with in her an unbecoming situation, he was exceedingly conspicuous.

“...Umm. Possibly, are you involved with Ikta Solork?”

Sure enough, the one girl who noticed the existence of the dead drunk "unbecoming someone-san" whispered to Yatori in a lowered voice.

“Eh? No, we’re just talking a bit.”

“You shouldn’t keep company with that kind of good-for-nothing. Stupidity is contagious.”

Yatori only responded to that harsh evaluation with a vague smile. The girl continued even closer to Yatori’s ear.

“...Either I’m mistaken about something, or there is a rumour that this guy is also taking the High Grade Military Officer Exam. I think that he’ll fail it quickly in any case, but please be careful that you aren’t distracted by him.”

Yatori, being what she was, suppressed a snicker at that girl’s words, but, leaving that aside, the girl quickly changed the topic

“Anyway, Yatori-sama. When will you go to actual combat with as a commander?”

Since she didn’t so much as take the Exam yet, there was a limit to how hasty one could be. But, of course, without revealing those kinds of true feelings, Yatori politely answered her innocent question.

“I can’t say anything yet, but normally it seems that after training for four~five years, you receive a rank and from there you can handle being an official military officer.”

“Four years… I hope it’s much faster because you’re Yatori, but I wonder if you can’t make it in time.”

“Make it in time…. What are you talking about?”

When Yatori tilted her head and asked for an explanation, this time a boy from behind her answered.

“Her relative lives in Katjvarna’s Eastern Province. Hey… right now the our<ref>written as: 帝國　(Empire); read as: ウチ（we, us)</ref> Eastern Stronghold is repulsing the invasion from the Kioka Republic National Army, right?”

“Yeah, Yatorishino-san was just saying how it would be fun if she went as a reinforcement.”

Another boy added more. Without noticing that Yatori didn’t respond, they continued.

“But still, to go that far, even the guys from the Republic would abandon the invasion. In any case, it’s because the Commander-in-Chief of the Eastern Stronghold is that great Mr. Hazaaf Rikan. He is a little distressed now by the New Division, whose status is unknown, but he’ll bring it under control soon...”

“Have the relative escape quickly. The Eastern Province will fall at the hands of the Kioka Army in less than a month.”

Ikta blandly inserted words into the middle of the conversation. At that sinister detail, the group creased their eyebrows.

“...Wait. What do you mean by that?”

“What I said. The Eastern Stronghold will collapse and that whole area will be seized by the Kioka Republic. I pity Lieutenant General Rikan. If he didn’t have a tight choker, this kind of result wouldn’t be necessary.”

“I can’t let that go unchallenged, Ikta Solork. The Eastern Stronghold led by Lieutenant General Rikan is currently devoting its full energy to repelling the barbaric invasion. Since that’s the case, why are you assuming defeat?”

“And belief in certain victory invites consequences. But defeatists like you probably won’t understand.”

That large group unanimously opposing Ikta were students decided on being involved with the military for their career after graduation. At their root was the blind faith to act in accordance with their own nation’s army, changing its name to the abandonment of thinking called "belief in certain victory," and even producing a foolish optimism about the war situation in the Eastern Province.

“I heard a rumour that you’re taking the High Grade Military Officer Exam, but- ha- are you sober? Before passing or not passing, consider whether the Imperial Army wants a coward like you, 'Ikta the Lazy.'”

“Nothing but skipping lectures and practical skills lessons. If we talk about what you do in that time, afternoon naps, idleness, and picking up women come to mind. A refined specimen of a good-for-nothing, master of deadbeat life-- that’s you, don’t you agree, Ikta Solork?”

“Look, he has no words to say back.”

“Come on guys, don’t be that way. This is a day for celebration, so let’s enjoy it without fighting.”

Those things being said by Yatori, from the center of things, elicited only restraint from everyone else. When they left with slightly dissatisfied expressions, the remaining Yatori sighed and began to ask the youth next to her a question.

“...So it’s true, it’s really collapsing? The Eastern Stronghold.”

“Do you think that a boxer who could block a fist has a chance at winning?”

Ikta’s example was simple and sharp. While pouring a refill of palm wine into his cup, he continued.

“If you think calmly, it’s something you understand quickly, isn’t it? The main point, why is the Eastern Stronghold trembling even now in the action zone? The 'Stronghold' is a standing local military organization during peacetime. Because more than three months have passed since the Kioka Army’s invasion began, if we’re seriously planning to win the war, it’s strange that they weren’t able to send military forces from Central a long time ago and replace the Eastern Province District Army.”

The Stronghold that was a standing organization, concerning the insufficient mobility of the military, had the power to protect but not the power to attack. "A boxer that was able to block a fist" that Ikta used as an example was like that. The troops without the ability to make an assertive attack for that reason were under the pressure of a defensive battle they couldn’t foresee.

“That one has no hope of winning with a non-aggressive defense is basics of the basics of military science. Because you’ll just be hit from above guard with an octopus. The current Eastern Stronghold is on the verge of that… no, is it worse? Because the New Division recently released by the Kioka Army from the war has slipped our guard and is causing damage.”

“... You mean the Aerial Warfare Unit, right? Certainly, that’s a threat the Empire didn’t predict.”

Yatori nodded unpleasantly. --The Aerial Warfare Unit. That was the Kioka Army’s New Division, organized to resemble countless soldiers riding blimps. They crossed the national border from the skies and invaded Imperial territory, visiting and dropping large quantities of flaming oil on an towns and army facilities turned into supply relay points.

As a result of the flying altitude being too high, there were currently no measures on the Empire’s side to directly counter Aerial Warfare. From a distant height that neither arrows nor bullets can reach, they could continue causing damage to the Empire. This accumulation of damage would cause the troops of the Eastern Stronghold to suffer over time.

“From the start of the 'air bombings' from Aerial Warfare until now, already how many towns have been burned...? No, if only houses are being burned, then that’s still fine. They burn field crops, burn granaries, and the towns can’t maintain a food supply. The Stronghold’s troops are the same. Concerning food these days, they should already be in a state of distress.”

“But the supplies from Central should have arrived.”

“The amount spread out to all of the people burned out of their homes with the air raids? There’s no way Central has that kind of surplus. Hypothetically, even if they do send it, can they continue that endlessly from now? Even though they have no expectations of winning the main war?”

Saying that, Ikuta slumped, lying down on the bench. As if, ridiculously, that was just about everything he to want to say.

“More than anything, I pity the Commander-in-Chief of the Stronghold, Hazaaf Rikan. The commanding of a lost battle will certainly be bitter, wouldn’t it? This and that, everything was the negligence of the Emperor and Ministry who have no intention waging war seriously.”

“Put an end to it there, Ikta. As I expected, this isn’t the place for this.”

Wary of eavesdroppers in the surroundings, Yatori warned against his speech. The Katjvarna Imperial Family was sacred, forbidden territory. To say nothing of the current wartime, casually speaking those criticisms wouldn’t be tolerated. Particularly, it would invariably involve the contributions of a descendant of a Distinguished Family of the Classical Military Factions, Yatori, with the responsibility... One couldn’t speak carelessly.

“First, rather than talking about a war we can’t influence, there is currently a more constructive topic for us, right?”

“Hnn…? Ahh, this evening’s Graduation Festival? I want to go all out the whole night. Where should I go to drink?”

“You just drunk to your heart’s content! I meant the High Grade Military Officer Exam.”

While holding Kusu face up in his arms, Ikta made a sour face as if he had swallowed a bug.

“Ah-- that depressing event was also left…”

“Even if you indisposed, I’ll have you participate... Really, you do understand it’s significance right?”

Drawing closer in direction of the reclining Ikta’s head, Yatori whispered in a small voice inaudible to their surroundings.

“...Using the Igsem Family connections, I prepared a librarian position at the National Library of the Capital for you. In exchange, I’ll have you take the High Grade Military Officer Exam together with me and fight in my favor during the Secondary Exam Continuation. You also agreed to the deal, right?”

“That’s a given, since the Library of the Capital is the retirement destination for nobility. Lending out various amusements to empty-headed people with riches and leisure time to spare, occasionally maintaining dust-covered, pitiable academic books… just with that I’d have a sum as my salary that doesn’t need worrying about my next meal. For me, that’s a distant dream. Although I did think that it was a cheap-shot scheme, uncharacteristic of you, Yatori. If it’s you, success is ensured even without something like my help, no?”

“Say what you want. If all I had to do was succeed, then I’d fight with just one arm…. However, the results required of eldest daughter of the Igsem family aren’t just that. The distinction of 'top success' is necessary.”

“Haven’t you done nothing but monopolize that distinction with everything from the time at the Academy? It’s about time you surrendered it to someone, you know. You aren’t the only person who wants to sit in the top seat.”

“Look who’s saying that. Just because you didn’t sit in it doesn’t mean I’m the only one who did.”

Hearing that, Ikta stared blankly, possibly in a strange condition due to the heat, picked up [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manila_clam Manila] clamshells from the plates of food he finished eating and one by one began placing them on his head. Yatori’s eyebrows drew in doubtfully.

“...Wait, that, what are you doing?”

“Overestimating myself too much.”<ref>text: 買いかぶりすぎ (overestimating -someone- too much);
homonym: 貝かぶりすぎ (wearing too many clams -on one's head-)</ref>

Without making any kind of comment, Yatori knocked the Manila clams down from the youth’s head.

“...Anyway! You aren’t the type to not use the ability that you’re hiding without any meaning. Particularly for this test, it seems that the youngest of the Remeon family is going to appear as a strong candidate. There’s no being too careful. Treading on you, Yatorishino Igsem will record her first step military rule.”

“Well, I think that’s fine. By what I heard, the league of your fellow Secondary Exam Continuation test-takers don’t seem unusual. Being the first to enter battle and preparing military forces are the basics of the basics of military affairs. 'The many outweigh the few.'”

“If you understand, then that’s fine. Sincerely try not to make a mistake large enough to fail the Primary Written Examination.”

“Yep, I got it, I’ll try my best. Because, unlike you, being involved with the army is the last thing I want to do.”

While responding shamelessly, Ikta skillfully poured a refill of palm wine into cup while lying down.

The High Grade Military Officer Exam-- a barrier which only those who have completed the Childhood Military Discipline Course at a designated educational institution as study material were allowed to challenge, so to speak the first trial that upper echelon cadets needed to surmount to become elite soldiers.

With the case in the army where one Private First Class = two Privates, one couldn’t climb the ranks unless with very large military gains in actual combat, and that promotion reached its limit with the seventh rank from the bottom, the non-commissioned officer "Sergeant Major." But the High Grade Military Officer Exam was something created with the goal of selecting candidates for commissioned officers, and those who passed it were able to acquire the status of "Warrant Officer," one rank above "Sergeant Major," from the beginning. However, the Exam could be taken once per year, up to three times.

Of course, the passing rate was absurdly high. Covering the entire test, they seldom, if ever, cut by 400 times, and they didn’t reduce by 20 times even with just the Primary Written Examination. But since there was a tendency for the people of the Katjvarna Empire to regard soldiers as heroes, the ones who succeeded at this became objects of adoration. It was a chance to acquire both status and prestige….

“Nnn--, national tactics discourse. How bothersome--”

The existence of Ikta in the middle of test-takers facing and squinting their eyes at exam papers, drowsily moving a pencil, was already shockingly out of place. And yet the answering itself was advancing unusually smoothly from the start that the surrounding test-takers alike only felt ashamed.

“Ahh-- the Study of Military Affairs Administration. How tepid--”

Concerning his posture, it was the same as a child forced to do summer homework. Cheek propped up, lips curving in an "へ" shape, eyes somewhat like those of a dead fish. So, falling flat the instant he finished the answers for each subject class, and lying that way without fixing his eyes, he didn’t so much as twitch until the collection of exam papers.

“Geh-- Alderah Theology. How annoying--”

Depending on the personality of the instructor proctoring the Exam, that was a lack of seriousness quite capable of having him ordered from the room, but it appeared that he was blessed by enough luck to slip by.

And, like that, the Exam’s second day arrived, the last subject of which was the "Use of the Military."

“This is the last one, this is the last one…. Hnn?”

Mechanically filling out exam papers, the hand of Ikta, who was practically in the state of a living corpse, abruptly stopped. The theme of the essay question written on the last of the exam papers seized his eye and didn’t let go.

--Freely state your thoughts concerning the Imperial Army’s former General Bada Sankrei, who previously abandoned the Kioka War and was made into a war criminal.

“...”

For the first time since the Exam began, A question was posed that could leave him at a loss. Based on the style of answer, "freely state," it wasn’t characteristic of the questions asked the army. There didn’t seem to be an intention to fit a template.

--However, from the contents, he could sense just a slightly nostalgic scent.

Since Ikta, who without thinking instinctively didn’t want to answer, couldn’t really list criticisms of the Imperial Family on the High Grade Military Officer Exam, and since he had belief that he should already be working on matters in another subject, he recorded this short answer.

--Every hero dies of overwork.

At 7:20PM, the Primary Written Examination ended at every venue, and the over 6,000 test-takers were reduced to fewer than 300 as per every year.

About one month after the completion of that Primary Written Examination. Ikta and Yatori, carrying luggage for a journey on their backs, were gazing at the ocean from the harbor with their respective spirits. As a result of the Secondary Examination Continuation being conducted on the Hirgano Archipelago on the southern side of the Empire, they came to board the transport ship heading to the actual location.

“Things are going just as planned so far, aren’t they? I’m relieved that you passed.”

“It’s because I’d been skipping lectures and doing nothing but exam study ever since the deal was proposed two years ago.”

Ikta answered mixed with a yawn. Unlike the High Grade Military Officer Exam which one can pass with just excellent grades, a librarian position at the National Library of the Capital was exclusive to retiring nobility. Ikta had no chance outside this deal.

“Not that I’m discriminating against library employees, but you’re really working hard for that. It’s not even that you’re particularly a bookworm, right?

“I like books, but if I had to say, any work would be fine. The point is that it’s a librarian at the "National" Library "of the Capital." If just those parts were the same, then I don’t care even if I’m a gardener or a cleaning lady.”

The Katjvarna Empire’s capital Banhataal was the Empire’s core both geographically and politically. Hypothetically, even if the war situation with the Kioka Republic worsened after this, it would be the last of the last to be persecuted. The welfare program was also generous for employees of a national institution like the Library. To be blunt, it was a position which one could slack off on until the nation was on the brink of ruin.

“Once this deal goes smoothly, if I can idle away like that from now until I die, two years worth of exam study is cheap, you know. Since I hate wasting effort, I’m not stingy with that amount, the effort needed for myself to slack off.”

“Haa…. I see. So you’re that kind of person.”

Sighing with half disgust and half admiration, Yatori gazed at the great ocean spreading out before her eyes. On the ocean surface, the waves were low and the winds calm. It was hatefully clear weather. The beach air smelled like a mix of sand and salt.

“The ship is here, Ikta. Come now, Yatori and Shia should go, too.”

Urged on by the light spirit Kusu stored in the pouch on Ikta’s hip, the two lined up and went walking in the ship’s direction.

From the medium-sized ship coming along the harbor, sailors recognizable as soldiers with one glance got off and scrutinizingly appraised Ikta and Yatori’s full lengths.

“Your exam admission tickets.”

After confirming exam admissions tickets from both of them, the sailors silently prompted to the two to board. When they boarded, there were no frivolous ornaments, characteristically of army furnishings, but it was a generally attentively maintained, sanitary ship. The guest cabins to which they were guided, despite being narrow, still had beds stacked three levels high on the left and right--furthermore, an earlier guest was there.

“...Ahh, good afternoon. Perhaps, are you also test-takers?”

The one who spoke with an expression that mixed nervousness and relief, was a tall girl with pale blue hair. Her partner, a water spirit, was sitting on her lap. It was a gentle impression in contrast with the firm Yatori.

“It seems so. I’m Yatorishino Igsem. A 131st Term graduate of the Imperial Segal Grand Academy. My partner is the fire spirit Shia. This is Ikta Solork from the same year and the light spirit Kusu…. You are?”

Slightly surprised by the family name Igsem which Yatori mentioned, she immediately returned a self-introduction.

“I-I’m extremely grateful. Umm, I’m an 11th Term graduate of the Imperial Min Mihaela Nursing Academy, Haroma Bekkel. This little one is my partner, the water spirit Miru. Igsem-san, Solork-san, please be kind to me.”

Sitting on the bed opposite Haroma, Yatori added words in a gentle tone.

“We didn’t settle on using our family names. Yatori is fine, you know.”

“Please, if you would, call me Ik-kun with affection.”

Haroma gave a small laugh at the behavior of Ikta, who teased her with a pompous tone.

“It’s fine if you ignore this person’s joke, Haroma-san. If you go along, you’ll be sucked in by his manner.”

“Hehe… you two get along well, don’t you? Then, if you’d like, please call me Haro. Since my acquaintances all call me that.”

“I’ll impose on your words, Haro…. Your partner is a water spirit, and you yourself come from a Nursing Academy, so I wonder if your targeted Division is the Medics?”

“It’s as you say. While I’m embarrassed about this, it’s my third time as a test-taker, and this is the first time I passed the Written Examination. Since it’s my last chance, it would be nice if they would let me survive, but…”

“The Medics Division, compared to others, does have a low success rate, but I think you have plenty of hope. If we end up competing, I can’t go easy, but if there is a way to cooperate, I’d want to join hands.”

For Yatori, with both a smiling tone and expression, her innermost thoughts were half honest opinion and half calculations. With preparing the "perfect ally with no interest in passing the Exam" called Ikta as her first military gain, she was now in the phase of acquiring allies locally.

“If we can, that’s reassuring. The eldest daughter of the Igsem Family-- I’ve heard rumors of Yatori-san’s fame.”

“Oh, I’m flattered. It would be nice if the actual strength accompanying me was even half of that in the rumors, though…”

When the two began their socializing mixed with modesties, the cabin door opened and a new passenger showed his form. He was a chubby youth with a round face placed on a plump torso. He quickly surveyed the inside of the room, and, startled at one point, widened his eyes.

“Ikta Solork…? W-Why are you here?!”

“Ohh, my buddy Matthew! You passed too? Why how great, how serendipitous!”

Embraced by Ikta who stood up from the bed, the youth called Matthew made an extremely reluctant face. While desperately pushing his companion away, his gaze this time was concentrated on Yatori.

“Tch, Yatorishino… so you’re here too, huh?”

“It’s been a month, hasn’t it, Matthew-kun? I’m glad we were able to meet. It doesn’t seem the same way for you, though.”

“Of course, not. If you had messed up on the Primary Examination, you don’t know how thrilled I’d be.”

Matthew cursed her loathingly. On behalf of Haroma whom he hadn’t met, Yatori inserted an introduction.

“This is Matthew Tetdrich and his partner, the wind spirit Tsuu. He’s in the same year as Ikta and I am. If Haro has a memory of hearing the family name Tetdrich, then please say so. I think he’d be very pleased.”

“What kind of introduction is that?! Whether someone has a memory or not, within the Empire, the Tetdrich Family is still a preeminent Distinguished Family of the Classical Military Factions! It isn’t superior or inferior to ones like Igsem or Remeon!”

“Te-Tetdrich… was it? Umm… If I’ve heard it before or haven’t… It’s not that I don’t feel it’s on the tip of my tongue, but…”

Since Haro unknowingly said something rude, Matthew stamped his feet and ground his teeth in frustration. With that timing, Ikta, as if comforting, or perhaps one should say, as if teasing, clapped a hand on his shoulder.

“It’s fine, Matthew. It’s that major-on-a-minor-scale type of popularity that’s your position. It’s not particularly necessary for all entertainers to have a national fan-base. You’re honestly trying your best on the local route.”

“Just who is an entertainer?! Ahh, come on, whatever is fine, so for the time being, you can let go!”

Followed by Ikta like a ghost in the background, Matthew hugged his knees in a corner of the cabin and sat down in protest. Shaking her head, Yatori restrained Haro, who was trying to say something as if unable to just watch.

“Stand up quietly. In those current circumstances, whatever you say, he’ll take offense to it.”

“H-hahh.... ...Somehow, are you used to the treatment?”

“He’s someone I’ve continued entangled with for four years. Ah, but if Ikta is there, coping with it is easy. It’s like using poison to overcome poison.”<ref>proverb: 毒を以て毒を制する (fighting fire with fire)</ref>

Yatori finished talking with a light smile. When she did, the figure of Ikta talking incessantly to Matthew seemed even to Haro like a poisonous snake twined around its prey. Slightly scared, she averted her gaze.

“...Umm, Yatori-san, you're in the same year as Ikta-san, right?”

“Yeah. He's a friend from since we enrolled in the Grand Academy. Well, it's a strange coincidence, but you might say I got stuck with him.”

As Yatori spoke mixed with a sarcastic laugh, Haro, bringing her mouth slightly closer to her ear, asked in an even smaller voice.

“Umm, Matthew-san also seems the same way, so, then as I expected, Ikta-san is also a descendant of a Distinguished--”

“Hahaha, no~o way. Solork is the name of an orphanage, young lady.”

With laughter suddenly in her ear, Haro without thinking cried “Hyaa?!” and turned around. Ikta, who seemed to have come unnoticed from Matthew's side, had shamelessly encamped next to her and was laughing hysterically.

“A descendant of a Distinguished Family, you said? I have no father and no mother. At the time, I found Kusu when he was working at the Solork Orphanage, collapsed and dying in a decaying vacant basement. I've been with that little guy ever since. Also, luckily since I wasn't that stupid, I was allowed to attend the Grand Academy on a scholarship.”

“Ah, so that's what happened. Excuse me, I asked something rude based on my interest... Kyaa?!”

“It's fine, I don't mind~ Since I'll also do considerably rude things to you from now on.”

After having the back of her hand caressed, an erotic voice rose from Haro's mouth. While watching the spectacle, Yatori held her face with one hand as if to say, “so it's started again...”

“Tall, aren't you… slender. You're even five fingers taller than a boy like me...”

“Hya, I'm 176cm....<ref>176cm is approximately 5'9''</ref> Excuse me, in spite of being a girl, I'm meaninglessly tall...”

“Doesn't it just mean you have good physical development...? ... Ah, your fingers are a little rough. Do you normally do housework by yourself?”

“I-I have five younger brothers, and I'm their older sister... Hyaa! Don't stroke my upper arm...!”

“The eldest daughter of six siblings? My goodness, that's incredible, no, stressful.... What do your parents do?”

“T-They're renting fields from the lord in the area.... But the earnings from just that aren't enough, if I don't get promoted and send money-- Yaa, don't pinch my earlobe, or comb through my hair...!”

The touching that began with the back of her hand, making that its origin, steadily advanced in the direction of her body. To be honest, Yatori thought that it was amusing, but since it'd reach a refinement unsuitable for pictures if that continued, before that happened, she decided to grab Ikta by the nape of his neck and stop him.

“We're stopping there, Ikta. Save picking up women for another time.”

“Ohh, too bad.”

After he was tossed away by Yatori, Ikta returned to the direction of Matthew who was hugging his knees in a corner of the room. Noticing Haro, who was happily freed but breathing very feebly, Yatori called out.

“Are you okay…? Sorry; I stopped him, but it was a little late.”

“Hahh, hah… J-just what did he do to me...?”

“It’s a bad habit of his. Even though he’s not that handsome, for the time being he likes to seduce girls. Left alone with the same pace as now, your breasts would then be massaged, and you taken to bed. Then when you finally notice something, it’d be chirping in the morning.”

“B-br…!? A-Awaah!?”

“Calm down, Haro. If you’re near me, you’re fine.”

While gently hugging Haro’s shoulders, Yatori, giving a sly smile, was exclaiming, “alright, I successfully won her over!” triumphantly in her mind. The Local-Acquisition-of-Allies Phase was commencing smoothly.

Suddenly, the cabin door slowly opened a second time.

The one who shyly showed his face was a handsome boy even taller than Haro. He had clear green eyes and hair tinged with a light green extending to his shoulders. In the pouch on his hip was the form of a wind spirit, the same as Matthew’s Tsuu.

“Umm, is it okay if I come in? Or not, if you’re in the middle of something.”

“Of course you can’t. Get back to your own territory, ikemen<ref name="ikemen">イケメン (ikemen) can refer to a man that is either good-looking or exceptionally ugly</ref>.”

For some reason, Ikta immediately rejected him, but Yatori, sealing his mouth with one hand, welcomed the newcomer.

“Go ahead, come in. Well, everyone did self-introductions, so will you also join in?”

Readily accepting the invitation with a refreshing smile, the youth started his self-introduction as he entered the room.

“I’m Torway Remeon. I’m an 82nd Term graduate of the Imperial Ermi High Grade Academy. This little one is my partner, the wind spirit Safi. Somehow, please be kind to me, everyone. It’s a difficult Exam, but let’s try our best together until we succeed.”

The moment the youth gave that name, the upper body of Matthew, who was crouching in a corner of the room, rose energetically. At the same time, both of Yatori’s eyes opened wide. From some sort of silent agitation, her lips hung loosely.

“...I see. So you’re the Remeons’…”

The third son of the Distinguished Remeon Family of the Classical Military Factions, on equal standing with the Igsems in the Empire. The strongest contender for success in the current term’s High Grade Military Officer Exam. Her biggest rival was in front of her eyes-- with that understanding, Yatori took several deep breaths and calmed her heart, then, with an authority as if exchanging declarations of war, gave her name.

“I’m Yatorishino Igsem. This little one is my partner Shia…. I don’t need to talk about something like my personal history, right?”

“...Yatorishino!? Right, that fiery hair, the Igsem Family’s…! Ahh, my goodness!”

Just hearing his companion’s name, Torway brightened his eyes as if seeing an adored heroine. Even the mouth that until now functioned smoothly suddenly became clumsy, meaninglessly mumbling, “umm, that, uhh,” repeatedly. Looking at that condition of his, Yatori drew in her eyebrows doubtfully.

“...Wait, what? If there’s something you want to say, then say it clearly.”

“I-I can’t mentally prepare myself…. M-Miss Igsem, I--”

“You guys, are full of yourselves.”

The moment Torway steeled himself and tried to say something, Matthew broke in between him and Yatori. Gallantly confronting the two, the plump eldest son of the Tetdrich Family roughened his voice.

“The Igsems’ Close-Quarters Combat Tactic, naturally, and even the Remeons’ [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_of_battle Line-of-Battle] Firearm Combat Tactic aren’t cutting edge anymore. If you guys aren’t the forerunners of the battlegrounds anymore, then you aren’t the stars. I won’t unconditionally let you guys have big egos<ref name="kao">idiom: でかい顔する (to act arrogant); text 7.0: でかい顔はさせない (not allow to act arrogant); text 7.1: 顔が体積的に一番大きい (uses different vocabulary from the idiom; literally: in terms of volume, your face is largest); text 7.2: ...顔...おれの顔...そんなにでかいか... (uses same vocabulary as idiom; literally: ...face...my face...is it that big?)</ref> just because you’re dependents of the Distinguished Families.”

“Umm, you are…?”

“I’m Matthew Tetdrich. Don’t forget this name, youngest of the Remeon Family.”

Matthew gave his name with a menacing look that practically declared war, but hearing that, Torway, in contrast to his companion, gave a charming smile.

“Remembering people’s names is my strong point. Let’s try our best together and succeed, Matthew-kun.”

“Hmph, Using false friendship to throw me off guard is useless, you know.”

“Matthew-kun… Matthew-kun, huh…. …Hm~m, can I call you Maa-kun?”

“Haa!?”

Given a nickname without any context, Matthew widened his eyes. Meanwhile, Yatori, who was interrupted in a conversation with her rival, sighed and pushed his body aside.

“...It’s natural that the Combat Tactics invented by our ancestors become old things as time passes. From the start, I had no intention in the least of hiding behind the glory of the past. In addition, if you let me say so, Matthew-”

Meaningfully leaving a beat, while intently watching her companion, Yatori finished speaking with a scornful laugh.

“Looking at things objectively, undeniably, in terms of size, your ego is the largest among us all<ref name="kao" />.”

“W-wha!”

Precisely prodded at a physical characteristic which he was habitually self-conscious about, Matthew groaned with a miserable face. Charging in without bearing in mind the difference in rank would result in his defeat, that was a pattern evident from his time as a student.

“Kuraa~, don’t bully Matthew.”

Ikta forced his way in as if reading in monotone from a script. Torway shook his head with an embarrassed face.

“I didn’t mean to bully him- if I ruined the mood, then I’m sorry. By the way, you...”

“Hmm, let there be silence. Two hunters<ref>written as: 猛禽 (birds of prey); read as: ハンター　(hunter)</ref> aren’t needed on one hunting ground.”

“E-eh?”

“Listen and be astonished, you have been handed down a guilty verdict in the face of judgement. The nature of the offense is precisely an attractive face and figure. According to the Scriptures of Alderah, death unto all ikemen!”<ref name="ikemen" />

“Your speech just now, that’s the stuff of an Inquisition! And at the minimum, have a back and forth in your conversations!”

When Yatori interrupted as the straight man<ref>generally, the two members of a comedy duo are known as the straight man （突っ込み／ツッコミ） and the funny man　（惚け／呆け／ボケ）</ref>, Torway sent her a look that asked, “an acquaintance?” She sighed and gave Ikta’s introduction.

“This guy is Ikta Solork. Like Matthew, he is in the same year as I am. Although he has a habit of threatening good-looking males for the time being, don’t mind it too much. He just has a strong sense of territory.”

“Ikemen should go explode! Grrr!”

Yatori explained grabbing the nape of the growling Ikta’s neck.

“...Is there a good relationship? Between you two. ”

“We just spend a lot of time together.”

Yatori responded bluntly, but anyone’s eyes could see affection from her back and forth with Ikta. Torway returned his gaze to Ikta a second time, and, with an expression vaguely mixed with envy, slowly extended his right hand.

“I’m Torway, please take care of me, Ikta-kun…. That is, I wonder if you’ll be good friends with me?”

Stopping the threats, even Ikta intently watched his companion. Those pupils had the shrewdness to see into one’s interior. Whether or not Toway’s mild-mannered demeanor was a calculated thing-- he had temporarily inferred from the back and forth until now, and for those results, he reached the conclusion that this one was a good person of the natural airhead variety.

“...I’m Ikta Solork. Repeating in my imagination the state of your face smashed apart so that it lost its structure about ten times, I was able to reach a tolerant mood. I’ll be friendly with you.”

It was just a slip of his refreshingly honest opinion, but it was nevertheless a condescending attitude. But, luckily, since Torway was a youth who wasn’t particular about minute details, a practically miraculous handshake was able to connect between the two.

“Mhmm, take care of me, Ikta-kun…. Ahh, that’s right, can I call you Ik-kun?

“No, I refuse. What the hell are you talking about?”

Although Torway was naturally eager to use a nickname despite it being their first meeting, continuing from Matthew, Ikta was Ikta, and he naturally gotten rid of that mercifulness.

“Really, Ik-kun, was it? Don’t be ridiculous, she is the only one who can call me that.”

Black eyes filled with meaning turned to Haro’s direction. He suddenly included a character that had been outside the mosquito net until now into the circle, and, in addition, even though she didn’t ask him, he gave her introduction.

“She is Haroma Bekkel. She is aiming to be a commander in the Medics, and she has five younger brothers at home. She’s a very good kid, you know. I guarantee it.”

“I-Ikta-san!? The flow of that introduction, it might lead to a big misunderstanding…!”

Haro was flustered and trying to make amends, but, unfortunately, Ikta hadn’t said anything wrong content-wise until now. Unaware of the circumstances, Torway exhibited the merits of guessing in the wrong direction.

“I see, so that’s how it is. Mhmm, you two, you really suit each other.”

“'That’s' how what is!? Noo, don’t look at me with such warm eyes…!”

Ikta, having twisted facts into a convenient form and thoroughly delighting in those results, unexpectedly had his foundation shaken violently. With the ship starting its engine and leaving the harbor, Yatori settled the area for the time being

“Since self-introductions are roughly finished, everyone, let’s settle down for now. Even if we are blessed by the wind, it’s a long trip close to two days until the Hirgano Archipelago. Concerning what happens after we’re dropped off on the other side, we should preserve our energy.”

“Ahh, that’s right. Then, shall we decide on each of our beds and collect our luggage?”

“Hey Haro, which position is good for you? Top? Bottom? Behind? Ahh, sitting face to face is good too, hehehe.”

“Why are you only asking me!? Also that, are we really talking about bed positions!?”

“...Ego… my ego… is it it that big…?<ref name="kao" /> ...mutter mutter…”

Then they each settled on their own beds, weary from traveling until now, the five entered a light sleep. Incidentally, at the end of heated discussion, Ikta’s bed was assigned the farthest diagonally from Haro.

With the rocking of ship growing violent due to a sudden deterioration of the weather three hours after they left port, Ikta and the others, all of them in the same cabin, began to open their eyes in turn. The long trip by boat, still in its opening stages. From anyone’s perspective, there was too much time remaining.

“U-ummm… 7--6 Bombing Troops… no, 3--3 Wind Gunning Troops.”

“Are you finished with that? Well then, for me let’s have 4--6 Air Gunning Troops with the merging of war forces and pieces from both sides.”

Sitting on a bed face to face, Matthew and Torway were waging war in military shogi. Both the one who brought the pieces and board and the one who proposed the contest was Matthew, but the war situation appeared to be unfavorable to him.

“3, 4, 5--7 Wind Gunning Troops Battalion. ...Umm, with that, maybe four pawns are checkmated, right?”

“W-wait a minute! I still haven’t…”

Matthew was growing desperate and gazing intently at the board, but when he looked, his own army was increasingly at a disadvantage with every glance. He understood that the the outcome was already decided with the first minute and then devoted three minutes to mental preparation, and finally, he squeezed out the few words, “...I died.”

"Damn it, one more game! This one was just one foolish mistake after another!"

Even while saying that, the game record was already facing the reality of Matthew's third consecutive defeat, but, hating to lose, he couldn't readily acknowledge the difference in their ability. Torway, sensing that only an unproductive struggle would continue at this rate, felt worried about his companion and made a proposal.

"Hey Maa-kun, is it okay if we give our impressions of the match? The game just now, there's a part I want to reflect on."

Since Matthew also accepted based on reason that progress didn't exist without calm reflection on defeat, he, though reluctantly, consented to Torway's proposal. Seeing that they had pretty much come to a stand still, it seemed there was no room to lodge a complaint about the overly familiar way of address, "Maa-kun."

"Uhh, even though I simulated until the mid-game.... Which was the deciding turn? Was it when I sent out too many Bombing Troops at the sixth turn, or when I lost the Medics at the 12th turn...?"

When Torway, taking care not to injure his companion's pride, tried to state his opinion, a third person's voice, even though it wasn't even called for, came down from overhead.

"--It was the 21st turn, my buddy Matthew. It was when you let your Air Gunning Troops, whose the merging of war forces was obstructed, uselessly be taken by the enemy line. There, you should have graciously retreated, and shifted to protect.”

Clicking his tongue at Ikta’s seemingly taunting voice, Matthew aligned the pieces with a loathsome expression. Torway widened his eyes and looked at the topmost bunk.

“Ik-kun, you remembered the course of the game? I wondered if you couldn’t see the board well from there.”

“I said not to call me Ik-kun, ikemen. Next time, I’m hitting you with a pillow.”

His reply was blunt, but Torway honestly valued Ikta highly. That he remembered the course of the game was a considerable thing, but, it was the fact that he also grasped the offenses and defenses that deserved praise. The state of the game which Ikta considered to have separated victory from defeat was exactly the same part Torway was about to mention.

“Everyone, I made tea~”

Luckily with that, carrying a large earthenware teapot and cups for the number of people, Haro came back to the room together with Yatori. She first tried to pour it using the table that was installed, but due to the swaying of the foundation, the earthenware teapot seemed nearly about to fall, they switched over to the method of pouring while holding the cups one by one in their hands.

“It’s swaying considerably, isn’t it...? When we borrowed the galley, we were able to see the condition of the ocean surface a little, but the waves are definitely amazing.”

“Facing the strong effect of the west wind, it seems the course is deviating quite a lot to the east. Since we might be delayed with correcting the course, the boat trip seems like it will drag on longer than we thought. Really, a boat is a vehicle we have no control over.”

While taking a of tea from Haro, Yatori unsympathetically tied up her hair. Her gaze was casually turned to the military shogi board that Matthew and Torway held between them.

“What’s this, were you playing shogi? The result, how many consecutive defeats for Matthew?”

“W-why does the question take my consecutive defeats for granted...?”

“Your objection having no vigor means that that’s exactly what happened, doesn’t it? ...Well, I don’t think it’s possible to care that much, though. It’s not like a shogi king equals a great commander anyway.”

Torway found and developed the beginning of a new topic in Yatori’s words, who had added a follow-up just in case.

“Now that you mention it, regarding the interview in the final stage of this Exam, it seems you play a game of shogi with actively serving High Grade Military Officers. If one didn’t apply their ability in shogi against the ability of a commander like that, then what kind of meaning does this arrangement have, don’t you agree?”

“Since it’s an interview while playing a game, I think it’s something that can measure your ability to multitask<ref>written as: 同時処理 (simultaneous processing); read as: マルチタスク　(multitask)</ref>. Even if you become a High Grade Military Officer, if you can’t manage two or three tasks at the same time, you’ll become useless due to going over-capacity.”

Yatori’s answer was grounded in logic. Continuing, she looked at the figure of Ikta extending just his arm from the bed and accepting a cup of tea. While amazed at his laziness, she passed over the question from Torway.

“Ikta, what do you think?”

“..Nnn, it’s rather delicious. However, rather than tea leaves steeped with milk, I prefer separately warmed milk added to a somewhat strong tea brewed with boiling water; I wonder if that way of brewing is preferable.”

“Who asked for your opinion about the flavor of tea? Incidentally, the one who recommended boiling the milk was me, you know. If by any chance it’s spoiled, it’s not that I can’t say it’s my fault.”

For just having spent a lot of time together, Yatori was unusually smooth in dealing even with her friend’s ridiculous banter. While raising just his upper body and sipping tea on the bed, Ikta carefreely answered the original question.

“I think that Yatori’s reasoning was roughly accurate. Even excluding that point, it’s because this, in its own way, is full of the basics of art of war. It’s not bad as mental exercise. However, if I’m allowed to state my opinion-- if soldiers play anyway, blindfolded shogi that doesn’t use a board is better.”

“--Huhh? Ik-kun, why-- Wapu!”

The falling pillow landed a direct hit on Torway’s face. Suddenly sticking his head out from the bed, Ikta yelled.

“Ik-kun forbidden! ...If you apply shogi to war, namely, the board equals the battleground. I ask a question with that, though, when you’re waging a war in reality, the commander look down on the entire battlefield from above the sky with the God’s point of view?”

“...That’s impossible. Regarding the locations of enemy forces, that’s restricted information, so that’s just about a situation where you can only make guesses. Concerning the allies under command, they aren’t restricted to moving as planned.”

“That’s it. In real war, fighting starts when you grasp the positions of your allies and enemies. Necessary for that is the imaging ability to derive a whole image from fragmentary information. I won’t say that blindfolded shogi can train that, but it can create a foundation for the power of imagination. First you hold the 'board' in your mind. Starting with that, imagine the soldiers moving on the board... Ah, is there more tea?"

While smoothly stating his point of view, Ikta was having his tea poured for him by Haro in a precarious position with his arm extended from the bed, as often was the case. Torway and Haro were listening admiringly on one side, and Matthew was largely ignoring him and scowling at the board, but with that, the ship swayed on a grand scale.

"Ah." "Ahhh--!?"

The tea that spilled from Ikta's cup landed a direct hit on Matthew's head with a devilish angle. While lightly apologizing with a "sorry, sorry," to his companion, who ended up turning a somersault from the heat, he suddenly shifted his gaze to the cabin door.

"There, who is that?"

Yatori called out looking in the same direction as Ikta.

She was distracted by Matthew's scream, but at the moment the boat swayed, the sound of something colliding with the door resounded. Yatori, thinking it was suspicious, walked over and opened the front door of the room.

"U-uhh...oww..."

She caught a petite young girl wearing a large hat on the opposite side of the open door. She couldn't see the face hidden by the wide brim, but the blond hair that flowed out, not fitting inside the hat, was smooth and beautiful. Her garments were also plain, but it was obvious that the fabric was superior, and they were worn somewhat elegantly.

"A test-taker... it doesn't seem that that's the case. Where are you from, young lady? Do you need something from us?"

When Yatori smiled gently and asked her question, the young girl seemed at a loss for a reply and mumbled, "e-excuse me," as a way to dodge and quickly leave down the hallway. Watching her leave, Yatori tilted her head.

"I wonder was that was? Well, at the very least, considering that an ordinary passenger just happened to be on a ship that's boarding High Grade Military Officer cadets... Ikta, what do you think?"

"Nnn... Five~six years remain until she is suitable for consumption. Until she is perfectly ripened, perhaps it's 15 years..."

"No one asked for the lower limit of your strike zone--"

The sudden assault of a severe vibration in the hull interrupted Yatori's retort. Everyone simultaneously lost balance, and the contents of the cups they held in their hands spilled completely. Clearly differentiated from the swaying until now, that was the impact of a serious collision, not something caused the waves.

"--What's that!?"

While being the fastest of all of them in the same room to regain her balance, Yatori took an analysis of the situation. On the other hand, Torway was holding and propping up The shoulder of Haro, who fell face up, and Ikta, having fallen from the topmost bunk, crushed the elastically abundant body of Matthew and was shamelessly unharmed.

“O, Matthew, don’t tell me you saved me by bravely volunteering your body… Let us toast to our friendship.”

“Ughh… someone like you should’ve fallen headfirst…”

About when Matthew, having pushed Ikta aside, finally rose, the spirits that were being quiet on the beds also sensed a state of emergency and came alive, settling into their respective masters’ pouches. When everyone confirmed each other’s lack of injuries, a sailor’s yell resounded from the open door.

“P-passengers, keep calm and listen! The bilge of this ship struck a reef and has started flooding. Just now, an order for a complete abandonment of ship has been handed down from the ship’s captain! Those who can move, immediately go to the deck, and following the sailor’s instructions, and board the lifeboats!”

The voice instructing evacuation was shrill from the sense of impending crisis. Running aground, flooding, complete abandonment of ship-- from these words, everyone in that situation simultaneously imagined a single, fatefully derived end, together with an image of hopelessness.

“Everyone, you heard that! We’re going to the deck!”

However, there was one person who brushed aside the pessimistic premonition in an instant and started moving. That was Yatori Igsem.

“There’s no need to rush, form one line behind me and follow! Luggage to a minimum!”

The one who could take control of the area without wavering in this situation was a human called Yatori. She had the leadership to establish order immediately in a group that was reduced to a disorderly crowd facing a state of emergency.

And, everyone besides her as well were not resigned to the disorderly crowd in this setting.

A baptism of torrential rain and furious wind welcomed them, who, making Yatori their leader and running up the stairs, emerged onto the deck. The mast, whose thickness exceeded that of an adult’s waist, made creaking sounds with the wind pressure, and on top of that the sailors were working, risking their lives, to bring down the sails that were filled with wind and flapping wildly. Already the hull was sinking 20 times lower than normal, and, in addition, the time was early evening. The ocean surface, having just descended into darkness, was pitch dark the whole time they were working.

“Stormy weather, is it…? A curse of bad weather in this situation, we’re people hated by God.”

“I wonder whose behavior was to blame. People with an idea try raising your hand.”

“Without even thinking you’re the only possibility, right? From now on let’s abstain from jokes with the Scriptures<ref>text: 聖典 (Scriptures); homonym: 晴天 (good weather)</ref> as material.”

While striking a carefree banter with Ikta, Yatori, as the leader of the group, turned to the rear of the deck. There, four lifeboats had been readied, and the preparations were in order for one boat to launch from the sailors’ hand to the ocean surface. Instructions flew from the sailors to Yatori’s group who had come around.

“Help board from the people who came! You, the citizens, are maximum priority!”

Yatori, making a slightly surprised expression at undertone of 'the citizens,' quickly shook off the sentiment and resumed action. She had Haro board first, then Matthew, Torway, Ikta’s turn, then finally she herself entered the boat. When everyone’s bodies were settled into the boat, the sailors watching Ikta’s figure apologetically added something.

“Your partner is a light spirit, isn’t he? Listen up, because we ran aground, some injuries came up among the sailors, and right now we still can’t let sailors board this boat. Since the lifeboats are all moored to the mothership, they won’t drift away, but when it comes to it, the ropes need to be cut to send off your companions. At that time, please transmit your location to nearby boats with a light signal. Even when you’re more or less drifted off, gather together with no exceptions!”

After seeing Ikta and Kusu nod in unison, the sailor let out the mooring ropes and lowered the boat containing them onto the ocean surface. The small boat abandoned to the great stormy ocean, rocking violently left and right, didn’t allow the people it held to have the sensation that they were living.

“Th-this isn’t a joke you know! With an ocean this rough, to find shelter in any boat...!”

“Maa-kun, lean to the right a little more! Bekkel-san to the left! We’re making the balance of body weight uniform in the whole of the boat! With these waves, if we capsize once then we can’t recover a second time anymore!”

The next to reach composure after Yatori, Torway sent out instructions, and Matthew and Haro, lost in shock, obeyed them. On the other hand, Ikta, in the middle of a pounding downpour, was motionlessly concentrating his eyes on the fatally sinking mothership.

“What’s the matter, Ikta? Strike your usual needless comments. When you’re quiet, there’s a bad energy.”

“I didn’t know you took my behavior as an omen. ...More importantly, Yatori, it’s that girl.”

When Yatori, hearing that, followed Ikta’s line of sight, the circumstances of the young girl, who they came across a while ago in front of their cabin, on the deck trying to board a lifeboat entered her eyes. The trembling of her thin shoulders was perceptible even with a distant view.

It didn’t seem the girl was at any age to travel alone, but she couldn’t see the figure of another companion.

“...Ah!?”

That moment, a tragedy occurred. The hull tilted violently, receiving a wide blow from the waves on its flank, and, with the momentum, the young girl that was standing on the edge of the deck was thrown toward the ocean. Airborne for an instant-- without the time even to shriek, her small body was swallowed by the black ocean and disappeared.

One of the sailors who barely managed to stay on the deck, with a float tube in one hand, dispatched bloodshot eyes to the ocean surface.… But, too late. Even if he tried to send help, her form had been concealed in the valleys of the waves a long time ago.

“Mm, bad luck. That one’s going to die.”

Murmuring a reality exceedingly close to past tense, Ikta immediately stood up and began taking off his outer garments.

“Kusu. If you see that girl again, shine on her with a high beam<ref>written as: 凝集光　(concentrated gathered light); read as: ハイビーム　(high beam)</ref> for me.”

“Ikta, that’s dangerous. You should stop…”

“I’m trusting you.”

Accepting his master’s petition, Kusu, in discussed circumstances, reluctantly slipped out of the hip pouch and, standing on the pouch’s edge, fired a strong light from his abdomen’s 'light cavity' and began illuminating one section of the ocean surface.

Continuing, Ikta grabbed a lifesaving float tube that was scattered around the bilge, and entrusted to Yatori the free end of the rope knotted to it.

“If you let go easily, I’ll come back for you as a ghost.”

“Wai- you--!?”

Without affording Yatori time to think, Ikta dove headfirst into the ocean. Undaunted by the raging waves and treading the water with his limbs, he advanced directly to the location shown by the high beam. There was nothing for everyone left on the boat to do but hold their breaths and watch his back attentively as he nearly slipped into the middle of the pitch black ocean.

“...Bwahh!”

From the observers’ side, after the ten-odd seconds which felt like an eternity, Ikta,hugging the body of the young girl, which was as limp as a corpse, rose to the surface. Yatori and the others breathed a great sigh of relief.

“It’s impossible, I’m dying! Save mee!”

Answering the shriek that slipped out in that time, the four simultaneously began to pull the rope. While sustaining balance in the middle of rocking capable of toppling them even now, only drawing two people up to the boat was difficult.

“Hahh, hahh… Ahh that was close… Seawater’s freakin’ salty…”

“Stop complaining, if you’re going to do something cool, then show off until the end…. Haro, how’s this girl’s condition?”

“She hasn’t drunk any seawater, and her breathing and pulse are normal. It seems she’s still in a state of shock, but…”

Laying her head down on Haro’s lap, the young girl was silent. At the moment, it seemed that her slightly opened eyes would recover the light of reason soon, but simply escaping without confronting things as they were, that might have been a fortunate thing.

“It appears that there she doesn’t have bruises or lacerations. ...Hmm? This…”

In order to check for presence of injuries, Yatori, dividing the work with Haro and examining the girl’s body, had her attention captured by a ring fitted onto the the girl’s middle finger. It was a superior piece that also functioned as a seal, but rather than a mere expensive feel, the design plated in gold onto the silver base was too familiar.

“It’s no use, this one won’t hold anymore! I’m cutting the rope!”

That yell caused Yatori’s thinking to freeze. With the wave received in the flank seeming to have been a finishing blow, the mothership’s sinking already reached the recovery-impossible range. In accordance with their duty, the remaining sailors on top of the descending boat, executed the severance of the towing rope, which would become the job to last them a lifetime. The boat containing Ikta and the others had its connection to the mothership severed, and began to genuinely drift away.

“...Don’t tell me…. We were the only ones who were able to escape?”

Now, while tightly biting her lip and gazing at the form of the mothership, which was only waiting to be completely submersed, even Yatori, being who she was, had a haggard expression. In the background, Matthew was flailing his limbs and raising a piercing cry.

“Wh-what’re we gonna do? Thrown right in the middle of a stormy sea in a small boat, we’re going to die like this! ”

Torway bound the panicking Matthew’s arms behind his back and held him down. On the other side, tightly hugging the body of the unconsciousness girl, Haro protested weakly with a whimper.

“W-we’re going to die, aren’t we? I-is there still anything--”

“...We’ll do what we can<ref>text: 人事は尽くしている; proverb: 人事を尽くして天命をまつ (Man proposes, God disposes; Do your best and let the heavens do the rest; literally: devote yourself and wait for destiny)</ref>. For now, we survive the storm.”

Yatori said it in a firm voice as if giving everyone instructions, herself included.

In agreement with that, Ikta, despite sniffling, took over her words.

“Ah-choo! ...As Yatori said, from this point forward is the domain of chance. There’s nothing we can do until the storm is over. Slack off as much as possible, and after, let’s put God to work.”

==Translator's Notes and References==
<references/>

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|-
| Back to [[Tenkyou no Alderamin:Volume 1 Prologue|Prologue]]
| Return to [[Tenkyou no Alderamin|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Tenkyou no Alderamin:Volume 1 Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Tenkyou no Alderamin:Volume 1 Chapter 1

2015-04-28T09:04:47Z

Chocolatkey:

==The Empire at Twilight==

In the Katjvarna territory, the four seasons basically don’t exist. It’s the tropics.

There is no spring nor autumn, and, of course, no winter. There is only the season when the general of summer seriously attacks, and when he slightly loosens his hand. It’s allowable to call half of the Empire’s history, the history of the fight with this brave general.

Therefore, between the slender and tall [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dipterocarpaceae dipterocarp] trees-- the figure of somebody fast asleep with his body entrusted to a hanging hammock was possibly the form of humanity’s triumph against the general of summer.

“Ikta, please wake up, Ikta.”

A small, lovable humanoid "something" climbed aboard that someone’s chest, which rose and fell with the breathing of his slumber, and shook the body eagerly. A large face and short limbs, a round form, a "light cavity" in his body. That form was undeniably a light spirit, one pillar of the elemental spirits which served as the good partners of humanity.

“...Nnn…what is it, Kusu? Didn’t I say I’d sleep through the graduation ceremony?...”

Taking off the hat that shaded his face, the somebody took up the light spirit called Kusu with both hands. He was a black-haired, sleepy-eyed youth. The shirt and navy blue pants worn on his body were unrecognizably misshapen, but it was possible that they were a uniform that in some way matched with the hat.

“So, it ended.”

“...Hmm?”

While staring up and down at the spirit held in his arms, the sleepy-eyed youth-- Ikta tilted his head.

“If progress was as planned, the Imperial Segal Grand Academy’s 131st Term Graduation Ceremony ended just about now, and they should be shifting to the Communal Meal between graduates and guardians. Would it be unwise to have a meal here?”

Hearing that, Ikta casually turned his gaze to the skies, and, indeed, the sun had risen considerably compared to when he looked before he slept.

“Certainly, this is terrible. Let’s miss this meal, even though it’s free.”

Ikta, having sluggishly lowered his body from the hammock and stood on the ground, stretched widely. His back cracked, his sleepy conscious just then awoke, and all at once his hunger and thirst attacked.

“Ugh, I have a headache… light dehydration, I wonder?”

“It’s because you slept a long time in this heat. First, let’s stop by a well and replenish our water supply.”

Ikta brought the body of Kusu who so advised him to the special pouch he attached to his own hip and snugly stored him there. For the slow-footed spirit, that was the default position during travel.

“Well, shall I endure it just a little? Just for today, since it’s a waste to quench our thirst with tepid water.”

After quickly retrieving the hammock from the tree trunks, Ikta, even while grimacing from his headache, started running through the inside the forest in high spirits.

“I’m Yahg the physical education instructor, congratulations on your graduation, Miss Igsem. Ah, the High Grade Military Officer Exam is drawing closer before you. I think that, if it’s you, then you’ll definitely pass, but don’t relax even a little alright?”

“I receive your advice gratefully, Instructor Yahg. I’m thinking of putting the things I learned here to best use in practice.”

After the graduation ceremony, the Academy president’s long speech, having calculatingly joined forces with the fierce heat, actually sent eight students out to the medical room. Finally, Yatorishino Igsem of those who moved to the Communal Lunch under the grand pavilion as per the schedule, not being able to dine properly, was savoring the annoyances of being an honor student.

“Oh, Yatorishino-kun, congratulations on your graduation. I’m Kobakk from educational guidance. As expected of the top of her class. Are you also expecting the same results from the High Grade Military Officer Exam?”

“Thank you very much, Instructor Kobakk. I wish devote my whole energy to meet expectations.”

--The top student understands it, even without you guys saying. So let me go already!

While she continued the unpleasant reception, in actuality, nothing but that was repeating in her mind.

If they came just to congratulate her on graduating, that would still be okay. There was no helping that she felt unhappy that, after words of congratulations, each and every one of the instructors added their own names. Furthermore, that type of people generally, in school life up to now, was a group with weak connections to Yatori.

Because being forgotten was scary, they tried to make even a small impression from the start. It was a ridiculous idea. But still, as the top of her class who combined her character with wisdom and courage, she had to take on a manner devoted to etiquette.

“Ah, alright! The second serving of ice cream is here!”

Yatori’s ears twitched at the detail exclaimed by another student in the near vicinity…. ice cream!

As might be expected from the congratulation of the graduates of the Imperial Grand Academy, fancy cuisine to match the occasion was lined up on the tables of the assembly hall. Fish fry covered with plenty of spices, meat soup boiled with a mountain of spices, mixed rice boiled together with so many spices that you’d die. The flavor of spices which were used for the purpose of sterilization, seasoning, and metabolism acceleration was an essential characteristic of Katjvarna. Since Yatori was accustomed to the stuff itself, she didn’t mind it.

However, she just now came from the president’s long speech. She was all out of such things like sweat, and the temperature of her lips, dry and papery, surpassed the normal by two degrees. Eat foods with plenty of spices and accelerate metabolism → sweat and get a refreshing coolness- she didn’t need to undergo a process as irritating as the one she had been until this time. Yatori’s body desired a more direct "coolness."

One way or the other finishing the conversation with the instructors at an appropriate place, she turned to the direction of the voice from earlier and started walking with a quick pace. Ice cream-- that was undeniably the most appealing sound to anyone in this country. [[Image:Alderamin v01 027.png|thumb|Her fingers, as they took the spoon handle, overlapped with the fingers of a youth trying to reach for it at the same time.]]In Katjvarna, far from snow and never even having had frost fall, the only ones that could make the precious gem called ice were the water spirits. In addition to that, they couldn’t make a lot at once, and the majority of it circulated as an industrial coolant. The luxury of "eating ice" was a pleasure only for days with special, joyous things.

Given out to many hands, the remaining amount now was in a precarious state. Yatori, barely enduring the urge to starting running- despite doing nothing but praying that enough for her remained- finally arrived in front of the plate.

She breathed a sigh of relief without thinking. The ice cream on top of the large plate was really only a small amount, scraped together and served on a small plate, would finally be enough for one person. It was by a hair’s breadth…. While imagining the coolness of the ice slipping down her throat, she placed a hand on the serving spoon-

“Ah.”

Her fingers, as they took the spoon handle, overlapped with the fingers of a youth trying to reach for it at the same time.

“...Ikta.”

“Ah, Yatori. Congratulations on graduating. As expected of the top of her class. I’m proud to be in the same year.”

While giving the false compliment, the black-haired youth resistantly put strength into the tightly gripped spoon. Yatori also did the same. Grappling with the spoon from left and right, the two squared off in front of the plate.

“...You, didn’t show up at the graduation ceremony right?”

“Well, that was rude of me. My heart was always together with everyone.”

“I have no interest in the your peculiar, conveniently detachable heart. So, where was the main body?”

“Overpowered by sleep in the forest behind the school. I couldn't help worrying about how many people collapsed this year.”

“Eight people were incapacitated by listening.... So, you, who for some reason skipped the graduation ceremony, only show up for the Communal Lunch like nothing happened?”

“Because of this, there was no lunch today in the dormitories. Even if you let me sleep through the graduation ceremony, dining is compulsory.”

“Like I’d accept your excuse. Anyway, remove your hand.”

To Yatori who ordered in a threatening tone, Ikta shrugged his shoulders and gave a villainous smile.

“That the world-famous top graduate can’t concede one plate of ice cream to another person…”

“Ngh.”

“I’m disappointed… The teachers would probably be disgusted. To think that the someone such as the eldest daughter of the Igsem Family is so shameful…”

Drawn out by the reference to her family’s honor, the strength gradually left Yatori’s hand. Ikta, having successfully stolen the serving spoon, gleefully served the remaining ice cream on a small plate.

“As expected of Yatorishino Igsem. Her pride higher than a mountain, her heart larger than than the ocean. It seems I truly have a good friend-- Ah, ow!?”

The moment he brought the filled plate to his body, a tingling numbness ran through Ikuta’s left arm. Without drawing attention, Yatori’s quickly dispatched fist hit the nerves in his elbow. Firmly catching the plate slipping out of his hand mid-fall and claiming it as her own, Yatori gave a triumphant smile.

“Thank you for going out of your way to serve it for me, Ikta-kun. A gentleman does things ladies first.”

“The result is the honor of receiving of your praise.”

Ikta retorted despite having lost the argument, rubbing his elbow with tearing eyes.

“...Mm~m.”

The coolness and sweetness spreading in her mouth, the scent of cinnamon leaving her nose, the sensation of ice cream thawed by her body heat sliding down her throat. Yatori was shivering at sensuality of those things while mindlessly holding the spoon in her mouth.

“I'm being restored to life. Ice cream is the ''best''.”

“That’s so true isn’t it? On the other hand, I’m hot and about to die. No, I’ve been dead for a long time.”

With a drink in a porcelain cup in one hand, Ikta was slouching on a bench set up in a corner of the party hall. He was glaring resentfully at Yatori’s blissful expression with a sidelong glance.

“How exaggerated. The palm wine is chilled in itself, isn’t it?”

“The alcohol<ref>written as: 酒精 (wine spirits/ethyl alcohol); read as: アルコール　(alcohol)</ref> is weak and it wasn’t fermented enough. Therefore, I won’t acknowledge this stuff as alcohol.”

Despite saying that, Ikta, with a large jug of palm wine placed on his bench, was draining the contents of his cup and pouring himself several refills from there. When his thirst was finally quenched, he came with both arms filled to capacity with food from the tables and began eating incessantly.

“Nng...mmm…. Considering that this is a party for the Imperial Grand Academy, the quality of the food being served is equal to the Empire’s dignity. The reality that it’s declining is an alarming thing, you know, Yatori-kun.”

“Be quiet. Because normal students- unlike you, who slips in every year- only attend once, the quality of the food isn’t something they care about, you know.”

While speaking, Yatori carried the last spoonful of ice cream to her mouth with a trace of regret. Without thinking, she was gazing at the table, but there was currently no sign that more would come. She couldn’t help but be reminded of Ikta’s speech.

“Damn, I guess that was the end of this year’s ice cream. In any case, it’s because the price of the milk and honey sprinkled on top of the ice, which is produced directly in the kitchen, seems to have risen quite a lot since the year began.”

Thus complaining, Ikta, as if giving into despair, swigged palm wine.

Stored in the pouch on his waist, his partner, the light spirit Kusu, raised his eyes appearing anxious about the circumstances.

“Ikta, drink alcohol moderately. It’s harmful to the body.”

“I guess so, Kusu. Opportunities in which I can drink enough to harm my body are rare, you know.”

While watching that usual back and forth between the two, Yatori innocently brought her hand to her right hip and caressed the face of her partner being stored there. With "fire chambers" in both hands, he was the deep-red fire spirit Shia.

“It seems you’re having difficulties as always, Kusu. Shia is worried as well.”

“Thank you very much, Yatori. Shia has blessed with a responsible master.”

“Agreement.”

After speaking only that with a sigh, Shia became silent for a second time.

He seemed cold, but considering the two, he was closer to a spirit's standard mode. A spirit's personality was shaped by accepting his master's influence, but ones with communication abilities as high as Kusu were rare, and spirits attached to soldiers were especially liable to becoming uncommunicative.

"Ah, Yatori-sama! Congratulations on graduating at the top of your class!”

Having found Yatori’s figure, six students from the crowd came to encourage her. Certainly not handling them coldly, she answered them with a smile, the same as when she addressed the instructors.

“Thank you. Also, congratulations to you, too.”

When a voice was returned from Yatori, the students who came to have a conversation, regardless of gender, became excited. Her red hair extending past her shoulders with its tips curling in and out intermingling, the pupils of her large eyes seeming to symbolize intelligence and sincerity, her stylishly-worn uniform unwrinkled by the heat. That was a figure as if dignity were painted in a picture.

With excellence in both the military and literary arts united with a personal history as a descendant of the Distinguished Igsem Family of the Classical Military Factions, Yatorishino Igsem received greater expectations and respect from students in the same class than anyone else…. But, to that extent, the companion together with in her an unbecoming situation, he was exceedingly conspicuous.

“...Umm. Possibly, are you involved with Ikta Solork?”

Sure enough, the one girl who noticed the existence of the dead drunk "unbecoming someone-san" whispered to Yatori in a lowered voice.

“Eh? No, we’re just talking a bit.”

“You shouldn’t keep company with that kind of good-for-nothing. Stupidity is contagious.”

Yatori only responded to that harsh evaluation with a vague smile. The girl continued even closer to Yatori’s ear.

“...Either I’m mistaken about something, or there is a rumour that this guy is also taking the High Grade Military Officer Exam. I think that he’ll fail it quickly in any case, but please be careful that you aren’t distracted by him.”

Yatori, being what she was, suppressed a snicker at that girl’s words, but, leaving that aside, the girl quickly changed the topic

“Anyway, Yatori-sama. When will you go to actual combat with as a commander?”

Since she didn’t so much as take the Exam yet, there was a limit to how hasty one could be. But, of course, without revealing those kinds of true feelings, Yatori politely answered her innocent question.

“I can’t say anything yet, but normally it seems that after training for four~five years, you receive a rank and from there you can handle being an official military officer.”

“Four years… I hope it’s much faster because you’re Yatori, but I wonder if you can’t make it in time.”

“Make it in time…. What are you talking about?”

When Yatori tilted her head and asked for an explanation, this time a boy from behind her answered.

“Her relative lives in Katjvarna’s Eastern Province. Hey… right now the our<ref>written as: 帝國　(Empire); read as: ウチ（we, us)</ref> Eastern Stronghold is repulsing the invasion from the Kioka Republic National Army, right?”

“Yeah, Yatorishino-san was just saying how it would be fun if she went as a reinforcement.”

Another boy added more. Without noticing that Yatori didn’t respond, they continued.

“But still, to go that far, even the guys from the Republic would abandon the invasion. In any case, it’s because the Commander-in-Chief of the Eastern Stronghold is that great Mr. Hazaaf Rikan. He is a little distressed now by the New Division, whose status is unknown, but he’ll bring it under control soon...”

“Have the relative escape quickly. The Eastern Province will fall at the hands of the Kioka Army in less than a month.”

Ikta blandly inserted words into the middle of the conversation. At that sinister detail, the group creased their eyebrows.

“...Wait. What do you mean by that?”

“What I said. The Eastern Stronghold will collapse and that whole area will be seized by the Kioka Republic. I pity Lieutenant General Rikan. If he didn’t have a tight choker, this kind of result wouldn’t be necessary.”

“I can’t let that go unchallenged, Ikta Solork. The Eastern Stronghold led by Lieutenant General Rikan is currently devoting its full energy to repelling the barbaric invasion. Since that’s the case, why are you assuming defeat?”

“And belief in certain victory invites consequences. But defeatists like you probably won’t understand.”

That large group unanimously opposing Ikta were students decided on being involved with the military for their career after graduation. At their root was the blind faith to act in accordance with their own nation’s army, changing its name to the abandonment of thinking called "belief in certain victory," and even producing a foolish optimism about the war situation in the Eastern Province.

“I heard a rumour that you’re taking the High Grade Military Officer Exam, but- ha- are you sober? Before passing or not passing, consider whether the Imperial Army wants a coward like you, 'Ikta the Lazy.'”

“Nothing but skipping lectures and practical skills lessons. If we talk about what you do in that time, afternoon naps, idleness, and picking up women come to mind. A refined specimen of a good-for-nothing, master of deadbeat life-- that’s you, don’t you agree, Ikta Solork?”

“Look, he has no words to say back.”

“Come on guys, don’t be that way. This is a day for celebration, so let’s enjoy it without fighting.”

Those things being said by Yatori, from the center of things, elicited only restraint from everyone else. When they left with slightly dissatisfied expressions, the remaining Yatori sighed and began to ask the youth next to her a question.

“...So it’s true, it’s really collapsing? The Eastern Stronghold.”

“Do you think that a boxer who could block a fist has a chance at winning?”

Ikta’s example was simple and sharp. While pouring a refill of palm wine into his cup, he continued.

“If you think calmly, it’s something you understand quickly, isn’t it? The main point, why is the Eastern Stronghold trembling even now in the action zone? The 'Stronghold' is a standing local military organization during peacetime. Because more than three months have passed since the Kioka Army’s invasion began, if we’re seriously planning to win the war, it’s strange that they weren’t able to send military forces from Central a long time ago and replace the Eastern Province District Army.”

The Stronghold that was a standing organization, concerning the insufficient mobility of the military, had the power to protect but not the power to attack. "A boxer that was able to block a fist" that Ikta used as an example was like that. The troops without the ability to make an assertive attack for that reason were under the pressure of a defensive battle they couldn’t foresee.

“That one has no hope of winning with a non-aggressive defense is basics of the basics of military science. Because you’ll just be hit from above guard with an octopus. The current Eastern Stronghold is on the verge of that… no, is it worse? Because the New Division recently released by the Kioka Army from the war has slipped our guard and is causing damage.”

“... You mean the Aerial Warfare Unit, right? Certainly, that’s a threat the Empire didn’t predict.”

Yatori nodded unpleasantly. --The Aerial Warfare Unit. That was the Kioka Army’s New Division, organized to resemble countless soldiers riding blimps. They crossed the national border from the skies and invaded Imperial territory, visiting and dropping large quantities of flaming oil on an towns and army facilities turned into supply relay points.

As a result of the flying altitude being too high, there were currently no measures on the Empire’s side to directly counter Aerial Warfare. From a distant height that neither arrows nor bullets can reach, they could continue causing damage to the Empire. This accumulation of damage would cause the troops of the Eastern Stronghold to suffer over time.

“From the start of the 'air bombings' from Aerial Warfare until now, already how many towns have been burned...? No, if only houses are being burned, then that’s still fine. They burn field crops, burn granaries, and the towns can’t maintain a food supply. The Stronghold’s troops are the same. Concerning food these days, they should already be in a state of distress.”

“But the supplies from Central should have arrived.”

“The amount spread out to all of the people burned out of their homes with the air raids? There’s no way Central has that kind of surplus. Hypothetically, even if they do send it, can they continue that endlessly from now? Even though they have no expectations of winning main war?”

Saying that, Ikuta slumped, lying down on the bench. As if, ridiculously, that was just about everything he to want to say.

“More than anything, I pity the Commander-in-Chief of the Stronghold, Hazaaf Rikan. The commanding of a lost battle will certainly be bitter, wouldn’t it? This and that, everything was the negligence of the Emperor and Ministry who have no intention waging war seriously.”

“Put an end to it there, Ikta. As I expected, this isn’t the place for this.”

Wary of eavesdroppers in the surroundings, Yatori warned against his speech. The Katjvarna Imperial Family was sacred, forbidden territory. To say nothing of the current wartime, casually speaking those criticisms wouldn’t be tolerated. Particularly, it would invariably involve the contributions of a descendant of a Distinguished Family of the Classical Military Factions, Yatori, with the responsibility... One couldn’t speak carelessly.

“First, rather than talking about a war we can’t influence, there is currently a more constructive topic for us, right?”

“Hnn…? Ahh, this evening’s Graduation Festival? I want to go all out the whole night. Where should I go to drink?”

“You just drunk to your heart’s content! I meant the High Grade Military Officer Exam.”

While holding Kusu face up in his arms, Ikta made a sour face as if he had swallowed a bug.

“Ah-- that depressing event was also left…”

“Even if you indisposed, I’ll have you participate... Really, you do understand it’s significance right?”

Drawing closer in direction of the reclining Ikta’s head, Yatori whispered in a small voice inaudible to their surroundings.

“...Using the Igsem Family connections, I prepared a librarian position at the National Library of the Capital for you. In exchange, I’ll have you take the High Grade Military Officer Exam together with me and fight in my favor during the Secondary Exam Continuation. You also agreed to the deal, right?”

“That’s a given, since the Library of the Capital is the retirement destination for nobility. Lending out various amusements to empty-headed people with riches and leisure time to spare, occasionally maintaining dust-covered, pitiable academic books… just with that I’d have a sum as my salary that doesn’t need worrying about my next meal. For me, that’s a distant dream. Although I did think that it was a cheap-shot scheme, uncharacteristic of you, Yatori. If it’s you, success is ensured even without something like my help, no?”

“Say what you want. If all I had to do was succeed, then I’d fight with just one arm…. However, the results required of eldest daughter of the Igsem family aren’t just that. The distinction of 'top success' is necessary.”

“Haven’t you done nothing but monopolize that distinction with everything from the time at the Academy? It’s about time you surrendered it to someone, you know. You aren’t the only person who wants to sit in the top seat.”

“Look who’s saying that. Just because you didn’t sit in it doesn’t mean I’m the only one who did.”

Hearing that, Ikta stared blankly, possibly in a strange condition due to the heat, picked up [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manila_clam Manila] clamshells from the plates of food he finished eating and one by one began placing them on his head. Yatori’s eyebrows drew in doubtfully.

“...Wait, that, what are you doing?”

“Overestimating myself too much.”<ref>text: 買いかぶりすぎ (overestimating -someone- too much);
homonym: 貝かぶりすぎ (wearing too many clams -on one's head-)</ref>

Without making any kind of comment, Yatori knocked the Manila clams down from the youth’s head.

“...Anyway! You aren’t the type to not use the ability that you’re hiding without any meaning. Particularly for this test, it seems that the youngest of the Remeon family is going to appear as a strong candidate. There’s no being too careful. Treading on you, Yatorishino Igsem will record her first step military rule.”

“Well, I think that’s fine. By what I heard, the league of your fellow Secondary Exam Continuation test-takers don’t seem unusual. Being the first to enter battle and preparing military forces are the basics of the basics of military affairs. 'The many outweigh the few.'”

“If you understand, then that’s fine. Sincerely try not to make a mistake large enough to fail the Primary Written Examination.”

“Yep, I got it, I’ll try my best. Because, unlike you, being involved with the army is the last thing I want to do.”

While responding shamelessly, Ikta skillfully poured a refill of palm wine into cup while lying down.

The High Grade Military Officer Exam-- a barrier which only those who have completed the Childhood Military Discipline Course at a designated educational institution as study material were allowed to challenge, so to speak the first trial that upper echelon cadets needed to surmount to become elite soldiers.

With the case in the army where one Private First Class = two Privates, one couldn’t climb the ranks unless with very large military gains in actual combat, and that promotion reached its limit with the seventh rank from the bottom, the non-commissioned officer "Sergeant Major." But the High Grade Military Officer Exam was something created with the goal of selecting candidates for commissioned officers, and those who passed it were able to acquire the status of "Warrant Officer," one rank above "Sergeant Major," from the beginning. However, the Exam could be taken once per year, up to three times.

Of course, the passing rate was absurdly high. Covering the entire test, they seldom, if ever, cut by 400 times, and they didn’t reduce by 20 times even with just the Primary Written Examination. But since there was a tendency for the people of the Katjvarna Empire to regard soldiers as heroes, the ones who succeeded at this became objects of adoration. It was a chance to acquire both status and prestige….

“Nnn--, national tactics discourse. How bothersome--”

The existence of Ikta in the middle of test-takers facing and squinting their eyes at exam papers, drowsily moving a pencil, was already shockingly out of place. And yet the answering itself was advancing unusually smoothly from the start that the surrounding test-takers alike only felt ashamed.

“Ahh-- the Study of Military Affairs Administration. How tepid--”

Concerning his posture, it was the same as a child forced to do summer homework. Cheek propped up, lips curving in an "へ" shape, eyes somewhat like those of a dead fish. So, falling flat the instant he finished the answers for each subject class, and lying that way without fixing his eyes, he didn’t so much as twitch until the collection of exam papers.

“Geh-- Alderah Theology. How annoying--”

Depending on the personality of the instructor proctoring the Exam, that was a lack of seriousness quite capable of having him ordered from the room, but it appeared that he was blessed by enough luck to slip by.

And, like that, the Exam’s second day arrived, the last subject of which was the "Use of the Military."

“This is the last one, this is the last one…. Hnn?”

Mechanically filling out exam papers, the hand of Ikta, who was practically in the state of a living corpse, abruptly stopped. The theme of the essay question written on the last of the exam papers seized his eye and didn’t let go.

--Freely state your thoughts concerning the Imperial Army’s former General Bada Sankrei, who previously abandoned the Kioka War and was made into a war criminal.

“...”

For the first time since the Exam began, A question was posed that could leave him at a loss. Based on the style of answer, "freely state," it wasn’t characteristic of the questions asked the army. There didn’t seem to be an intention to fit a template.

--However, from the contents, he could sense just a slightly nostalgic scent.

Since Ikta, who without thinking instinctively didn’t want to answer, couldn’t really list criticisms of the Imperial Family on the High Grade Military Officer Exam, and since he had belief that he should already be working on matters in another subject, he recorded this short answer.

--Every hero dies of overwork.

At 7:20PM, the Primary Written Examination ended at every venue, and the over 6,000 test-takers were reduced to fewer than 300 as per every year.

About one month after the completion of that Primary Written Examination. Ikta and Yatori, carrying luggage for a journey on their backs, were gazing at the ocean from the harbor with their respective spirits. As a result of the Secondary Examination Continuation being conducted on the Hirgano Archipelago on the southern side of the Empire, they came to board the transport ship heading to the actual location.

“Things are going just as planned so far, aren’t they? I’m relieved that you passed.”

“It’s because I’d been skipping lectures and doing nothing but exam study ever since the deal was proposed two years ago.”

Ikta answered mixed with a yawn. Unlike the High Grade Military Officer Exam which one can pass with just excellent grades, a librarian position at the National Library of the Capital was exclusive to retiring nobility. Ikta had no chance outside this deal.

“Not that I’m discriminating against library employees, but you’re really working hard for that. It’s not even that you’re particularly a bookworm, right?

“I like books, but if I had to say, any work would be fine. The point is that it’s a librarian at the "National" Library "of the Capital." If just those parts were the same, then I don’t care even if I’m a gardener or a cleaning lady.”

The Katjvarna Empire’s capital Banhataal was the Empire’s core both geographically and politically. Hypothetically, even if the war situation with the Kioka Republic worsened after this, it would be the last of the last to be persecuted. The welfare program was also generous for employees of a national institution like the Library. To be blunt, it was a position which one could slack off on until the nation was on the brink of ruin.

“Once this deal goes smoothly, if I can idle away like that from now until I die, two years worth of exam study is cheap, you know. Since I hate wasting effort, I’m not stingy with that amount, the effort needed for myself to slack off.”

“Haa…. I see. So you’re that kind of person.”

Sighing with half disgust and half admiration, Yatori gazed at the great ocean spreading out before her eyes. On the ocean surface, the waves were low and the winds calm. It was hatefully clear weather. The beach air smelled like a mix of sand and salt.

“The ship is here, Ikta. Come now, Yatori and Shia should go, too.”

Urged on by the light spirit Kusu stored in the pouch on Ikta’s hip, the two lined up and went walking in the ship’s direction.

From the medium-sized ship coming along the harbor, sailors recognizable as soldiers with one glance got off and scrutinizingly appraised Ikta and Yatori’s full lengths.

“Your exam admission tickets.”

After confirming exam admissions tickets from both of them, the sailors silently prompted to the two to board. When they boarded, there were no frivolous ornaments, characteristically of army furnishings, but it was a generally attentively maintained, sanitary ship. The guest cabins to which they were guided, despite being narrow, still had beds stacked three levels high on the left and right--furthermore, an earlier guest was there.

“...Ahh, good afternoon. Perhaps, are you also test-takers?”

The one who spoke with an expression that mixed nervousness and relief, was a tall girl with pale blue hair. Her partner, a water spirit, was sitting on her lap. It was a gentle impression in contrast with the firm Yatori.

“It seems so. I’m Yatorishino Igsem. A 131st Term graduate of the Imperial Segal Grand Academy. My partner is the fire spirit Shia. This is Ikta Solork from the same year and the light spirit Kusu…. You are?”

Slightly surprised by the family name Igsem which Yatori mentioned, she immediately returned a self-introduction.

“I-I’m extremely grateful. Umm, I’m an 11th Term graduate of the Imperial Min Mihaela Nursing Academy, Haroma Bekkel. This little one is my partner, the water spirit Miru. Igsem-san, Solork-san, please be kind to me.”

Sitting on the bed opposite Haroma, Yatori added words in a gentle tone.

“We didn’t settle on using our family names. Yatori is fine, you know.”

“Please, if you would, call me Ik-kun with affection.”

Haroma gave a small laugh at the behavior of Ikta, who teased her with a pompous tone.

“It’s fine if you ignore this person’s joke, Haroma-san. If you go along, you’ll be sucked in by his manner.”

“Hehe… you two get along well, don’t you? Then, if you’d like, please call me Haro. Since my acquaintances all call me that.”

“I’ll impose on your words, Haro…. Your partner is a water spirit, and you yourself come from a Nursing Academy, so I wonder if your targeted Division is the Medics?”

“It’s as you say. While I’m embarrassed about this, it’s my third time as a test-taker, and this is the first time I passed the Written Examination. Since it’s my last chance, it would be nice if they would let me survive, but…”

“The Medics Division, compared to others, does have a low success rate, but I think you have plenty of hope. If we end up competing, I can’t go easy, but if there is a way to cooperate, I’d want to join hands.”

For Yatori, with both a smiling tone and expression, her innermost thoughts were half honest opinion and half calculations. With preparing the "perfect ally with no interest in passing the Exam" called Ikta as her first military gain, she was now in the phase of acquiring allies locally.

“If we can, that’s reassuring. The eldest daughter of the Igsem Family-- I’ve heard rumors of Yatori-san’s fame.”

“Oh, I’m flattered. It would be nice if the actual strength accompanying me was even half of that in the rumors, though…”

When the two began their socializing mixed with modesties, the cabin door opened and a new passenger showed his form. He was a chubby youth with a round face placed on a plump torso. He quickly surveyed the inside of the room, and, startled at one point, widened his eyes.

“Ikta Solork…? W-Why are you here?!”

“Ohh, my buddy Matthew! You passed too? Why how great, how serendipitous!”

Embraced by Ikta who stood up from the bed, the youth called Matthew made an extremely reluctant face. While desperately pushing his companion away, his gaze this time was concentrated on Yatori.

“Tch, Yatorishino… so you’re here too, huh?”

“It’s been a month, hasn’t it, Matthew-kun? I’m glad we were able to meet. It doesn’t seem the same way for you, though.”

“Of course, not. If you had messed up on the Primary Examination, you don’t know how thrilled I’d be.”

Matthew cursed her loathingly. On behalf of Haroma whom he hadn’t met, Yatori inserted an introduction.

“This is Matthew Tetdrich and his partner, the wind spirit Tsuu. He’s in the same year as Ikta and I am. If Haro has a memory of hearing the family name Tetdrich, then please say so. I think he’d be very pleased.”

“What kind of introduction is that?! Whether someone has a memory or not, within the Empire, the Tetdrich Family is still a preeminent Distinguished Family of the Classical Military Factions! It isn’t superior or inferior to ones like Igsem or Remeon!”

“Te-Tetdrich… was it? Umm… If I’ve heard it before or haven’t… It’s not that I don’t feel it’s on the tip of my tongue, but…”

Since Haro unknowingly said something rude, Matthew stamped his feet and ground his teeth in frustration. With that timing, Ikta, as if comforting, or perhaps one should say, as if teasing, clapped a hand on his shoulder.

“It’s fine, Matthew. It’s that major-on-a-minor-scale type of popularity that’s your position. It’s not particularly necessary for all entertainers to have a national fan-base. You’re honestly trying your best on the local route.”

“Just who is an entertainer?! Ahh, come on, whatever is fine, so for the time being, you can let go!”

Followed by Ikta like a ghost in the background, Matthew hugged his knees in a corner of the cabin and sat down in protest. Shaking her head, Yatori restrained Haro, who was trying to say something as if unable to just watch.

“Stand up quietly. In those current circumstances, whatever you say, he’ll take offense to it.”

“H-hahh.... ...Somehow, are you used to the treatment?”

“He’s someone I’ve continued entangled with for four years. Ah, but if Ikta is there, coping with it is easy. It’s like using poison to overcome poison.”<ref>proverb: 毒を以て毒を制する (fighting fire with fire)</ref>

Yatori finished talking with a light smile. When she did, the figure of Ikta talking incessantly to Matthew seemed even to Haro like a poisonous snake twined around its prey. Slightly scared, she averted her gaze.

“...Umm, Yatori-san, you're in the same year as Ikta-san, right?”

“Yeah. He's a friend from since we enrolled in the Grand Academy. Well, it's a strange coincidence, but you might say I got stuck with him.”

As Yatori spoke mixed with a sarcastic laugh, Haro, bringing her mouth slightly closer to her ear, asked in an even smaller voice.

“Umm, Matthew-san also seems the same way, so, then as I expected, Ikta-san is also a descendant of a Distinguished--”

“Hahaha, no~o way. Solork is the name of an orphanage, young lady.”

With laughter suddenly in her ear, Haro without thinking cried “Hyaa?!” and turned around. Ikta, who seemed to have come unnoticed from Matthew's side, had shamelessly encamped next to her and was laughing hysterically.

“A descendant of a Distinguished Family, you said? I have no father and no mother. At the time, I found Kusu when he was working at the Solork Orphanage, collapsed and dying in a decaying vacant basement. I've been with that little guy ever since. Also, luckily since I wasn't that stupid, I was allowed to attend the Grand Academy on a scholarship.”

“Ah, so that's what happened. Excuse me, I asked something rude based on my interest... Kyaa?!”

“It's fine, I don't mind~ Since I'll also do considerably rude things to you from now on.”

After having the back of her hand caressed, an erotic voice rose from Haro's mouth. While watching the spectacle, Yatori held her face with one hand as if to say, “so it's started again...”

“Tall, aren't you… slender. You're even five fingers taller than a boy like me...”

“Hya, I'm 176cm....<ref>176cm is approximately 5'9''</ref> Excuse me, in spite of being a girl, I'm meaninglessly tall...”

“Doesn't it just mean you have good physical development...? ... Ah, your fingers are a little rough. Do you normally do housework by yourself?”

“I-I have five younger brothers, and I'm their older sister... Hyaa! Don't stroke my upper arm...!”

“The eldest daughter of six siblings? My goodness, that's incredible, no, stressful.... What do your parents do?”

“T-They're renting fields from the lord in the area.... But the earnings from just that aren't enough, if I don't get promoted and send money-- Yaa, don't pinch my earlobe, or comb through my hair...!”

The touching that began with the back of her hand, making that its origin, steadily advanced in the direction of her body. To be honest, Yatori thought that it was amusing, but since it'd reach a refinement unsuitable for pictures if that continued, before that happened, she decided to grab Ikta by the nape of his neck and stop him.

“We're stopping there, Ikta. Save picking up women for another time.”

“Ohh, too bad.”

After he was tossed away by Yatori, Ikta returned to the direction of Matthew who was hugging his knees in a corner of the room. Noticing Haro, who was happily freed but breathing very feebly, Yatori called out.

“Are you okay…? Sorry; I stopped him, but it was a little late.”

“Hahh, hah… J-just what did he do to me...?”

“It’s a bad habit of his. Even though he’s not that handsome, for the time being he likes to seduce girls. Left alone with the same pace as now, your breasts would then be massaged, and you taken to bed. Then when you finally notice something, it’d be chirping in the morning.”

“B-br…!? A-Awaah!?”

“Calm down, Haro. If you’re near me, you’re fine.”

While gently hugging Haro’s shoulders, Yatori, giving a sly smile, was exclaiming, “alright, I successfully won her over!” triumphantly in her mind. The Local-Acquisition-of-Allies Phase was commencing smoothly.

Suddenly, the cabin door slowly opened a second time.

The one who shyly showed his face was a handsome boy even taller than Haro. He had clear green eyes and hair tinged with a light green extending to his shoulders. In the pouch on his hip was the form of a wind spirit, the same as Matthew’s Tsuu.

“Umm, is it okay if I come in? Or not, if you’re in the middle of something.”

“Of course you can’t. Get back to your own territory, ikemen<ref name="ikemen">イケメン (ikemen) can refer to a man that is either good-looking or exceptionally ugly</ref>.”

For some reason, Ikta immediately rejected him, but Yatori, sealing his mouth with one hand, welcomed the newcomer.

“Go ahead, come in. Well, everyone did self-introductions, so will you also join in?”

Readily accepting the invitation with a refreshing smile, the youth started his self-introduction as he entered the room.

“I’m Torway Remeon. I’m an 82nd Term graduate of the Imperial Ermi High Grade Academy. This little one is my partner, the wind spirit Safi. Somehow, please be kind to me, everyone. It’s a difficult Exam, but let’s try our best together until we succeed.”

The moment the youth gave that name, the upper body of Matthew, who was crouching in a corner of the room, rose energetically. At the same time, both of Yatori’s eyes opened wide. From some sort of silent agitation, her lips hung loosely.

“...I see. So you’re the Remeons’…”

The third son of the Distinguished Remeon Family of the Classical Military Factions, on equal standing with the Igsems in the Empire. The strongest contender for success in the current term’s High Grade Military Officer Exam. Her biggest rival was in front of her eyes-- with that understanding, Yatori took several deep breaths and calmed her heart, then, with an authority as if exchanging declarations of war, gave her name.

“I’m Yatorishino Igsem. This little one is my partner Shia…. I don’t need to talk about something like my personal history, right?”

“...Yatorishino!? Right, that fiery hair, the Igsem Family’s…! Ahh, my goodness!”

Just hearing his companion’s name, Torway brightened his eyes as if seeing an adored heroine. Even the mouth that until now functioned smoothly suddenly became clumsy, meaninglessly mumbling, “umm, that, uhh,” repeatedly. Looking at that condition of his, Yatori drew in her eyebrows doubtfully.

“...Wait, what? If there’s something you want to say, then say it clearly.”

“I-I can’t mentally prepare myself…. M-Miss Igsem, I--”

“You guys, are full of yourselves.”

The moment Torway steeled himself and tried to say something, Matthew broke in between him and Yatori. Gallantly confronting the two, the plump eldest son of the Tetdrich Family roughened his voice.

“The Igsems’ Close-Quarters Combat Tactic, naturally, and even the Remeons’ [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_of_battle Line-of-Battle] Firearm Combat Tactic aren’t cutting edge anymore. If you guys aren’t the forerunners of the battlegrounds anymore, then you aren’t the stars. I won’t unconditionally let you guys have big egos<ref name="kao">idiom: でかい顔する (to act arrogant); text 7.0: でかい顔はさせない (not allow to act arrogant); text 7.1: 顔が体積的に一番大きい (uses different vocabulary from the idiom; literally: in terms of volume, your face is largest); text 7.2: ...顔...おれの顔...そんなにでかいか... (uses same vocabulary as idiom; literally: ...face...my face...is it that big?)</ref> just because you’re dependents of the Distinguished Families.”

“Umm, you are…?”

“I’m Matthew Tetdrich. Don’t forget this name, youngest of the Remeon Family.”

Matthew gave his name with a menacing look that practically declared war, but hearing that, Torway, in contrast to his companion, gave a charming smile.

“Remembering people’s names is my strong point. Let’s try our best together and succeed, Matthew-kun.”

“Hmph, Using false friendship to throw me off guard is useless, you know.”

“Matthew-kun… Matthew-kun, huh…. …Hm~m, can I call you Maa-kun?”

“Haa!?”

Given a nickname without any context, Matthew widened his eyes. Meanwhile, Yatori, who was interrupted in a conversation with her rival, sighed and pushed his body aside.

“...It’s natural that the Combat Tactics invented by our ancestors become old things as time passes. From the start, I had no intention in the least of hiding behind the glory of the past. In addition, if you let me say so, Matthew-”

Meaningfully leaving a beat, while intently watching her companion, Yatori finished speaking with a scornful laugh.

“Looking at things objectively, undeniably, in terms of size, your ego is the largest among us all<ref name="kao" />.”

“W-wha!”

Precisely prodded at a physical characteristic which he was habitually self-conscious about, Matthew groaned with a miserable face. Charging in without bearing in mind the difference in rank would result in his defeat, that was a pattern evident from his time as a student.

“Kuraa~, don’t bully Matthew.”

Ikta forced his way in as if reading in monotone from a script. Torway shook his head with an embarrassed face.

“I didn’t mean to bully him- if I ruined the mood, then I’m sorry. By the way, you...”

“Hmm, let there be silence. Two hunters<ref>written as: 猛禽 (birds of prey); read as: ハンター　(hunter)</ref> aren’t needed on one hunting ground.”

“E-eh?”

“Listen and be astonished, you have been handed down a guilty verdict in the face of judgement. The nature of the offense is precisely an attractive face and figure. According to the Scriptures of Alderah, death unto all ikemen!”<ref name="ikemen" />

“Your speech just now, that’s the stuff of an Inquisition! And at the minimum, have a back and forth in your conversations!”

When Yatori interrupted as the straight man<ref>generally, the two members of a comedy duo are known as the straight man （突っ込み／ツッコミ） and the funny man　（惚け／呆け／ボケ）</ref>, Torway sent her a look that asked, “an acquaintance?” She sighed and gave Ikta’s introduction.

“This guy is Ikta Solork. Like Matthew, he is in the same year as I am. Although he has a habit of threatening good-looking males for the time being, don’t mind it too much. He just has a strong sense of territory.”

“Ikemen should go explode! Grrr!”

Yatori explained grabbing the nape of the growling Ikta’s neck.

“...Is there a good relationship? Between you two. ”

“We just spend a lot of time together.”

Yatori responded bluntly, but anyone’s eyes could see affection from her back and forth with Ikta. Torway returned his gaze to Ikta a second time, and, with an expression vaguely mixed with envy, slowly extended his right hand.

“I’m Torway, please take care of me, Ikta-kun…. That is, I wonder if you’ll be good friends with me?”

Stopping the threats, even Ikta intently watched his companion. Those pupils had the shrewdness to see into one’s interior. Whether or not Toway’s mild-mannered demeanor was a calculated thing-- he had temporarily inferred from the back and forth until now, and for those results, he reached the conclusion that this one was a good person of the natural airhead variety.

“...I’m Ikta Solork. Repeating in my imagination the state of your face smashed apart so that it lost its structure about ten times, I was able to reach a tolerant mood. I’ll be friendly with you.”

It was just a slip of his refreshingly honest opinion, but it was nevertheless a condescending attitude. But, luckily, since Torway was a youth who wasn’t particular about minute details, a practically miraculous handshake was able to connect between the two.

“Mhmm, take care of me, Ikta-kun…. Ahh, that’s right, can I call you Ik-kun?

“No, I refuse. What the hell are you talking about?”

Although Torway was naturally eager to use a nickname despite it being their first meeting, continuing from Matthew, Ikta was Ikta, and he naturally gotten rid of that mercifulness.

“Really, Ik-kun, was it? Don’t be ridiculous, she is the only one who can call me that.”

Black eyes filled with meaning turned to Haro’s direction. He suddenly included a character that had been outside the mosquito net until now into the circle, and, in addition, even though she didn’t ask him, he gave her introduction.

“She is Haroma Bekkel. She is aiming to be a commander in the Medics, and she has five younger brothers at home. She’s a very good kid, you know. I guarantee it.”

“I-Ikta-san!? The flow of that introduction, it might lead to a big misunderstanding…!”

Haro was flustered and trying to make amends, but, unfortunately, Ikta hadn’t said anything wrong content-wise until now. Unaware of the circumstances, Torway exhibited the merits of guessing in the wrong direction.

“I see, so that’s how it is. Mhmm, you two, you really suit each other.”

“'That’s' how what is!? Noo, don’t look at me with such warm eyes…!”

Ikta, having twisted facts into a convenient form and thoroughly delighting in those results, unexpectedly had his foundation shaken violently. With the ship starting its engine and leaving the harbor, Yatori settled the area for the time being

“Since self-introductions are roughly finished, everyone, let’s settle down for now. Even if we are blessed by the wind, it’s a long trip close to two days until the Hirgano Archipelago. Concerning what happens after we’re dropped off on the other side, we should preserve our energy.”

“Ahh, that’s right. Then, shall we decide on each of our beds and collect our luggage?”

“Hey Haro, which position is good for you? Top? Bottom? Behind? Ahh, sitting face to face is good too, hehehe.”

“Why are you only asking me!? Also that, are we really talking about bed positions!?”

“...Ego… my ego… is it it that big…?<ref name="kao" /> ...mutter mutter…”

Then they each settled on their own beds, weary from traveling until now, the five entered a light sleep. Incidentally, at the end of heated discussion, Ikta’s bed was assigned the farthest diagonally from Haro.

With the rocking of ship growing violent due to a sudden deterioration of the weather three hours after they left port, Ikta and the others, all of them in the same cabin, began to open their eyes in turn. The long trip by boat, still in its opening stages. From anyone’s perspective, there was too much time remaining.

“U-ummm… 7--6 Bombing Troops… no, 3--3 Wind Gunning Troops.”

“Are you finished with that? Well then, for me let’s have 4--6 Air Gunning Troops with the merging of war forces and pieces from both sides.”

Sitting on a bed face to face, Matthew and Torway were waging war in military shogi. Both the one who brought the pieces and board and the one who proposed the contest was Matthew, but the war situation appeared to be unfavorable to him.

“3, 4, 5--7 Wind Gunning Troops Battalion. ...Umm, with that, maybe four pawns are checkmated, right?”

“W-wait a minute! I still haven’t…”

Matthew was growing desperate and gazing intently at the board, but when he looked, his own army was increasingly at a disadvantage with every glance. He understood that the the outcome was already decided with the first minute and then devoted three minutes to mental preparation, and finally, he squeezed out the few words, “...I died.”

"Damn it, one more game! This one was just one foolish mistake after another!"

Even while saying that, the game record was already facing the reality of Matthew's third consecutive defeat, but, hating to lose, he couldn't readily acknowledge the difference in their ability. Torway, sensing that only an unproductive struggle would continue at this rate, felt worried about his companion and made a proposal.

"Hey Maa-kun, is it okay if we give our impressions of the match? The game just now, there's a part I want to reflect on."

Since Matthew also accepted based on reason that progress didn't exist without calm reflection on defeat, he, though reluctantly, consented to Torway's proposal. Seeing that they had pretty much come to a stand still, it seemed there was no room to lodge a complaint about the overly familiar way of address, "Maa-kun."

"Uhh, even though I simulated until the mid-game.... Which was the deciding turn? Was it when I sent out too many Bombing Troops at the sixth turn, or when I lost the Medics at the 12th turn...?"

When Torway, taking care not to injure his companion's pride, tried to state his opinion, a third person's voice, even though it wasn't even called for, came down from overhead.

"--It was the 21st turn, my buddy Matthew. It was when you let your Air Gunning Troops, whose the merging of war forces was obstructed, uselessly be taken by the enemy line. There, you should have graciously retreated, and shifted to protect.”

Clicking his tongue at Ikta’s seemingly taunting voice, Matthew aligned the pieces with a loathsome expression. Torway widened his eyes and looked at the topmost bunk.

“Ik-kun, you remembered the course of the game? I wondered if you couldn’t see the board well from there.”

“I said not to call me Ik-kun, ikemen. Next time, I’m hitting you with a pillow.”

His reply was blunt, but Torway honestly valued Ikta highly. That he remembered the course of the game was a considerable thing, but, it was the fact that he also grasped the offenses and defenses that deserved praise. The state of the game which Ikta considered to have separated victory from defeat was exactly the same part Torway was about to mention.

“Everyone, I made tea~”

Luckily with that, carrying a large earthenware teapot and cups for the number of people, Haro came back to the room together with Yatori. She first tried to pour it using the table that was installed, but due to the swaying of the foundation, the earthenware teapot seemed nearly about to fall, they switched over to the method of pouring while holding the cups one by one in their hands.

“It’s swaying considerably, isn’t it...? When we borrowed the galley, we were able to see the condition of the ocean surface a little, but the waves are definitely amazing.”

“Facing the strong effect of the west wind, it seems the course is deviating quite a lot to the east. Since we might be delayed with correcting the course, the boat trip seems like it will drag on longer than we thought. Really, a boat is a vehicle we have no control over.”

While taking a of tea from Haro, Yatori unsympathetically tied up her hair. Her gaze was casually turned to the military shogi board that Matthew and Torway held between them.

“What’s this, were you playing shogi? The result, how many consecutive defeats for Matthew?”

“W-why does the question take my consecutive defeats for granted...?”

“Your objection having no vigor means that that’s exactly what happened, doesn’t it? ...Well, I don’t think it’s possible to care that much, though. It’s not like a shogi king equals a great commander anyway.”

Torway found and developed the beginning of a new topic in Yatori’s words, who had added a follow-up just in case.

“Now that you mention it, regarding the interview in the final stage of this Exam, it seems you play a game of shogi with actively serving High Grade Military Officers. If one didn’t apply their ability in shogi against the ability of a commander like that, then what kind of meaning does this arrangement have, don’t you agree?”

“Since it’s an interview while playing a game, I think it’s something that can measure your ability to multitask<ref>written as: 同時処理 (simultaneous processing); read as: マルチタスク　(multitask)</ref>. Even if you become a High Grade Military Officer, if you can’t manage two or three tasks at the same time, you’ll become useless due to going over-capacity.”

Yatori’s answer was grounded in logic. Continuing, she looked at the figure of Ikta extending just his arm from the bed and accepting a cup of tea. While amazed at his laziness, she passed over the question from Torway.

“Ikta, what do you think?”

“..Nnn, it’s rather delicious. However, rather than tea leaves steeped with milk, I prefer separately warmed milk added to a somewhat strong tea brewed with boiling water; I wonder if that way of brewing is preferable.”

“Who asked for your opinion about the flavor of tea? Incidentally, the one who recommended boiling the milk was me, you know. If by any chance it’s spoiled, it’s not that I can’t say it’s my fault.”

For just having spent a lot of time together, Yatori was unusually smooth in dealing even with her friend’s ridiculous banter. While raising just his upper body and sipping tea on the bed, Ikta carefreely answered the original question.

“I think that Yatori’s reasoning was roughly accurate. Even excluding that point, it’s because this, in its own way, is full of the basics of art of war. It’s not bad as mental exercise. However, if I’m allowed to state my opinion-- if soldiers play anyway, blindfolded shogi that doesn’t use a board is better.”

“--Huhh? Ik-kun, why-- Wapu!”

The falling pillow landed a direct hit on Torway’s face. Suddenly sticking his head out from the bed, Ikta yelled.

“Ik-kun forbidden! ...If you apply shogi to war, namely, the board equals the battleground. I ask a question with that, though, when you’re waging a war in reality, the commander look down on the entire battlefield from above the sky with the God’s point of view?”

“...That’s impossible. Regarding the locations of enemy forces, that’s restricted information, so that’s just about a situation where you can only make guesses. Concerning the allies under command, they aren’t restricted to moving as planned.”

“That’s it. In real war, fighting starts when you grasp the positions of your allies and enemies. Necessary for that is the imaging ability to derive a whole image from fragmentary information. I won’t say that blindfolded shogi can train that, but it can create a foundation for the power of imagination. First you hold the 'board' in your mind. Starting with that, imagine the soldiers moving on the board... Ah, is there more tea?"

While smoothly stating his point of view, Ikta was having his tea poured for him by Haro in a precarious position with his arm extended from the bed, as often was the case. Torway and Haro were listening admiringly on one side, and Matthew was largely ignoring him and scowling at the board, but with that, the ship swayed on a grand scale.

"Ah." "Ahhh--!?"

The tea that spilled from Ikta's cup landed a direct hit on Matthew's head with a devilish angle. While lightly apologizing with a "sorry, sorry," to his companion, who ended up turning a somersault from the heat, he suddenly shifted his gaze to the cabin door.

"There, who is that?"

Yatori called out looking in the same direction as Ikta.

She was distracted by Matthew's scream, but at the moment the boat swayed, the sound of something colliding with the door resounded. Yatori, thinking it was suspicious, walked over and opened the front door of the room.

"U-uhh...oww..."

She caught a petite young girl wearing a large hat on the opposite side of the open door. She couldn't see the face hidden by the wide brim, but the blond hair that flowed out, not fitting inside the hat, was smooth and beautiful. Her garments were also plain, but it was obvious that the fabric was superior, and they were worn somewhat elegantly.

"A test-taker... it doesn't seem that that's the case. Where are you from, young lady? Do you need something from us?"

When Yatori smiled gently and asked her question, the young girl seemed at a loss for a reply and mumbled, "e-excuse me," as a way to dodge and quickly leave down the hallway. Watching her leave, Yatori tilted her head.

"I wonder was that was? Well, at the very least, considering that an ordinary passenger just happened to be on a ship that's boarding High Grade Military Officer cadets... Ikta, what do you think?"

"Nnn... Five~six years remain until she is suitable for consumption. Until she is perfectly ripened, perhaps it's 15 years..."

"No one asked for the lower limit of your strike zone--"

The sudden assault of a severe vibration in the hull interrupted Yatori's retort. Everyone simultaneously lost balance, and the contents of the cups they held in their hands spilled completely. Clearly differentiated from the swaying until now, that was the impact of a serious collision, not something caused the waves.

"--What's that!?"

While being the fastest of all of them in the same room to regain her balance, Yatori took an analysis of the situation. On the other hand, Torway was holding and propping up The shoulder of Haro, who fell face up, and Ikta, having fallen from the topmost bunk, crushed the elastically abundant body of Matthew and was shamelessly unharmed.

“O, Matthew, don’t tell me you saved me by bravely volunteering your body… Let us toast to our friendship.”

“Ughh… someone like you should’ve fallen headfirst…”

About when Matthew, having pushed Ikta aside, finally rose, the spirits that were being quiet on the beds also sensed a state of emergency and came alive, settling into their respective masters’ pouches. When everyone confirmed each other’s lack of injuries, a sailor’s yell resounded from the open door.

“P-passengers, keep calm and listen! The bilge of this ship struck a reef and has started flooding. Just now, an order for a complete abandonment of ship has been handed down from the ship’s captain! Those who can move, immediately go to the deck, and following the sailor’s instructions, and board the lifeboats!”

The voice instructing evacuation was shrill from the sense of impending crisis. Running aground, flooding, complete abandonment of ship-- from these words, everyone in that situation simultaneously imagined a single, fatefully derived end, together with an image of hopelessness.

“Everyone, you heard that! We’re going to the deck!”

However, there was one person who brushed aside the pessimistic premonition in an instant and started moving. That was Yatori Igsem.

“There’s no need to rush, form one line behind me and follow! Luggage to a minimum!”

The one who could take control of the area without wavering in this situation was a human called Yatori. She had the leadership to establish order immediately in a group that was reduced to a disorderly crowd facing a state of emergency.

And, everyone besides her as well were not resigned to the disorderly crowd in this setting.

A baptism of torrential rain and furious wind welcomed them, who, making Yatori their leader and running up the stairs, emerged onto the deck. The mast, whose thickness exceeded that of an adult’s waist, made creaking sounds with the wind pressure, and on top of that the sailors were working, risking their lives, to bring down the sails that were filled with wind and flapping wildly. Already the hull was sinking 20 times lower than normal, and, in addition, the time was early evening. The ocean surface, having just descended into darkness, was pitch dark the whole time they were working.

“Stormy weather, is it…? A curse of bad weather in this situation, we’re people hated by God.”

“I wonder whose behavior was to blame. People with an idea try raising your hand.”

“Without even thinking you’re the only possibility, right? From now on let’s abstain from jokes with the Scriptures<ref>text: 聖典 (Scriptures); homonym: 晴天 (good weather)</ref> as material.”

While striking a carefree banter with Ikta, Yatori, as the leader of the group, turned to the rear of the deck. There, four lifeboats had been readied, and the preparations were in order for one boat to launch from the sailors’ hand to the ocean surface. Instructions flew from the sailors to Yatori’s group who had come around.

“Help board from the people who came! You, the citizens, are maximum priority!”

Yatori, making a slightly surprised expression at undertone of 'the citizens,' quickly shook off the sentiment and resumed action. She had Haro board first, then Matthew, Torway, Ikta’s turn, then finally she herself entered the boat. When everyone’s bodies were settled into the boat, the sailors watching Ikta’s figure apologetically added something.

“Your partner is a light spirit, isn’t he? Listen up, because we ran aground, some injuries came up among the sailors, and right now we still can’t let sailors board this boat. Since the lifeboats are all moored to the mothership, they won’t drift away, but when it comes to it, the ropes need to be cut to send off your companions. At that time, please transmit your location to nearby boats with a light signal. Even when you’re more or less drifted off, gather together with no exceptions!”

After seeing Ikta and Kusu nod in unison, the sailor let out the mooring ropes and lowered the boat containing them onto the ocean surface. The small boat abandoned to the great stormy ocean, rocking violently left and right, didn’t allow the people it held to have the sensation that they were living.

“Th-this isn’t a joke you know! With an ocean this rough, to find shelter in any boat...!”

“Maa-kun, lean to the right a little more! Bekkel-san to the left! We’re making the balance of body weight uniform in the whole of the boat! With these waves, if we capsize once then we can’t recover a second time anymore!”

The next to reach composure after Yatori, Torway sent out instructions, and Matthew and Haro, lost in shock, obeyed them. On the other hand, Ikta, in the middle of a pounding downpour, was motionlessly concentrating his eyes on the fatally sinking mothership.

“What’s the matter, Ikta? Strike your usual needless comments. When you’re quiet, there’s a bad energy.”

“I didn’t know you took my behavior as an omen. ...More importantly, Yatori, it’s that girl.”

When Yatori, hearing that, followed Ikta’s line of sight, the circumstances of the young girl, who they came across a while ago in front of their cabin, on the deck trying to board a lifeboat entered her eyes. The trembling of her thin shoulders was perceptible even with a distant view.

It didn’t seem the girl was at any age to travel alone, but she couldn’t see the figure of another companion.

“...Ah!?”

That moment, a tragedy occurred. The hull tilted violently, receiving a wide blow from the waves on its flank, and, with the momentum, the young girl that was standing on the edge of the deck was thrown toward the ocean. Airborne for an instant-- without the time even to shriek, her small body was swallowed by the black ocean and disappeared.

One of the sailors who barely managed to stay on the deck, with a float tube in one hand, dispatched bloodshot eyes to the ocean surface.… But, too late. Even if he tried to send help, her form had been concealed in the valleys of the waves a long time ago.

“Mm, bad luck. That one’s going to die.”

Murmuring a reality exceedingly close to past tense, Ikta immediately stood up and began taking off his outer garments.

“Kusu. If you see that girl again, shine on her with a high beam<ref>written as: 凝集光　(concentrated gathered light); read as: ハイビーム　(high beam)</ref> for me.”

“Ikta, that’s dangerous. You should stop…”

“I’m trusting you.”

Accepting his master’s petition, Kusu, in discussed circumstances, reluctantly slipped out of the hip pouch and, standing on the pouch’s edge, fired a strong light from his abdomen’s 'light cavity' and began illuminating one section of the ocean surface.

Continuing, Ikta grabbed a lifesaving float tube that was scattered around the bilge, and entrusted to Yatori the free end of the rope knotted to it.

“If you let go easily, I’ll come back for you as a ghost.”

“Wai- you--!?”

Without affording Yatori time to think, Ikta dove headfirst into the ocean. Undaunted by the raging waves and treading the water with his limbs, he advanced directly to the location shown by the high beam. There was nothing for everyone left on the boat to do but hold their breaths and watch his back attentively as he nearly slipped into the middle of the pitch black ocean.

“...Bwahh!”

From the observers’ side, after the ten-odd seconds which felt like an eternity, Ikta,hugging the body of the young girl, which was as limp as a corpse, rose to the surface. Yatori and the others breathed a great sigh of relief.

“It’s impossible, I’m dying! Save mee!”

Answering the shriek that slipped out in that time, the four simultaneously began to pull the rope. While sustaining balance in the middle of rocking capable of toppling them even now, only drawing two people up to the boat was difficult.

“Hahh, hahh… Ahh that was close… Seawater’s freakin’ salty…”

“Stop complaining, if you’re going to do something cool, then show off until the end…. Haro, how’s this girl’s condition?”

“She hasn’t drunk any seawater, and her breathing and pulse are normal. It seems she’s still in a state of shock, but…”

Laying her head down on Haro’s lap, the young girl was silent. At the moment, it seemed that her slightly opened eyes would recover the light of reason soon, but simply escaping without confronting things as they were, that might have been a fortunate thing.

“It appears that there she doesn’t have bruises or lacerations. ...Hmm? This…”

In order to check for presence of injuries, Yatori, dividing the work with Haro and examining the girl’s body, had her attention captured by a ring fitted onto the the girl’s middle finger. It was a superior piece that also functioned as a seal, but rather than a mere expensive feel, the design plated in gold onto the silver base was too familiar.

“It’s no use, this one won’t hold anymore! I’m cutting the rope!”

That yell caused Yatori’s thinking to freeze. With the wave received in the flank seeming to have been a finishing blow, the mothership’s sinking already reached the recovery-impossible range. In accordance with their duty, the remaining sailors on top of the descending boat, executed the severance of the towing rope, which would become the job to last them a lifetime. The boat containing Ikta and the others had its connection to the mothership severed, and began to genuinely drift away.

“...Don’t tell me…. We were the only ones who were able to escape?”

Now, while tightly biting her lip and gazing at the form of the mothership, which was only waiting to be completely submersed, even Yatori, being who she was, had a haggard expression. In the background, Matthew was flailing his limbs and raising a piercing cry.

“Wh-what’re we gonna do? Thrown right in the middle of a stormy sea in a small boat, we’re going to die like this! ”

Torway bound the panicking Matthew’s arms behind his back and held him down. On the other side, tightly hugging the body of the unconsciousness girl, Haro protested weakly with a whimper.

“W-we’re going to die, aren’t we? I-is there still anything--”

“...We’ll do what we can<ref>text: 人事は尽くしている; proverb: 人事を尽くして天命をまつ (Man proposes, God disposes; Do your best and let the heavens do the rest; literally: devote yourself and wait for destiny)</ref>. For now, we survive the storm.”

Yatori said it in a firm voice as if giving everyone instructions, herself included.

In agreement with that, Ikta, despite sniffling, took over her words.

“Ah-choo! ...As Yatori said, from this point forward is the domain of chance. There’s nothing we can do until the storm is over. Slack off as much as possible, and after, let’s put God to work.”

==Translator's Notes and References==
<references/>

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| Back to [[Tenkyou no Alderamin:Volume 1 Prologue|Prologue]]
| Return to [[Tenkyou no Alderamin|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Tenkyou no Alderamin:Volume 1 Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

User:Chocolatkey

2015-04-26T19:25:57Z

Chocolatkey:

Hi. I like contributing to this wiki when I spot a mistake in grammar, spelling or punctuation while enjoying the reads. This is my thanks to BakaTsuki and its community for the hard work they do, providing me with tons of LN content from Japan. I am a native English speaker and speak/write French and German at a proficient level. I had about 4 years of Chinese teaching. The characters are the same for Kanji which gives me a slight advantage while trying to learn Japanese.

Thanks for the hard work everyone

--Chocolatkey (Henry)

Tsukumodo:Volume 3 Sleeping Beauty

2015-03-25T21:36:39Z

Chocolatkey:

At the end of the day, I'm just a high school student.

It may look like I'm always working on some Relic-related incidents, but that's not true.

I do read manga and I do play video games just like anyone else, although I hardly ever buy any because I'm broke. And of course, I hang around with my friend after school when I'm not on shift, and I engage in silly chats during breaks. I'm happy when I get a good mark, and I'm depressed when I get a bad one. Not only do I join my buddies to some karaoke occasionally, I've also played billiard and dart and whatnot with them. And while I haven't had the opportunity yet, I'm also interested in skiing and snowboarding.

I could go on like that, but the point is that I do the same things and have the same interests as any high school student.

Anyway, what I'm really getting at here is... well, I'm not generally uninterested in, um, romance.

So it shouldn't be surprising that I would be a bit sensitive to this kind of thing, right?

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

<div style="color: #75365A; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
When I woke up, I realized that Tokiya had pushed me down.

No, "pushed down" might be an inaccurate expression, because I must have already been asleep and lying by the time it happened.

In that case, what should I label this situation?

His right cheek was softly pressed against mine, his left hand placed on my right, his right leg between my legs, and his body was on mine.

Should I say that he was holding me down? Let's make another quick check...

His right cheek was softly pressed against mine, his left hand placed on my right, his right leg between my legs, and his body was on mine.

Yes, "to hold down" should fit quite nicely. ''But wait'', I thought. He wasn't moving.

"Tokiya?" I called his name, but there was no response. He seemed to be sleeping and was breathing calmly.

Someone who's asleep can hardly hold you down, so this expression might be inaccurate as well. But what should I call this, then? Our bodies were entwined?

Something still feels off. Wasn't there a simple and straightforward expression for this kind of situation? For example—

We were cuddling.

"Cudd...!" I uttered unwittingly in surprise at my own thoughts.

Tokiya and I were cuddl... no, our bodies were entwi... no, he was holding me dow... anyway, we were in that specific situation.
[[Image:Tsukumodo_V3_252.jpg|400px|right]]

At 08:00 in the evening, in the living room, alone.

''At 08:00 in the evening...?''

I looked at the clock once again, but the display did read "PM" indeed.

The fact that Tokiya and I were cuddl... no, our bodies were entwi... no, he was holding me dow... anyway, the fact that we were in that specific situation confused me a lot already, but the time was just as startling.

I couldn't remember taking an afternoon nap.

I wondered if I had passed out, but I was unable to confirm that; there was a gap in my memory. Calming myself down, I started tracing my memory.

I had stood up in the morning, changed into my clothes and prepared breakfast. After that, I went to wake up Towako-san, but I was told not to because her latest investigations had reversed her circadian rhythm, which is why I then had breakfast alone. And then...

Right. I noticed that the trash bin was full. Therefore, I filled the trash into a bag.

That's where my memory cut off.

I had been taking breakfast, so it should have been about 08:00 AM.

I looked once more at the clock. It was eight o'clock in the evening. I managed to move my head—I accidentally rubbed my cheek against Tokiya's when I did so, but I tried not to think about it—and took a look out of the window. As expected, it was dark outside; this eliminated the possibility of the clock displaying the wrong time period.

Had I fallen asleep while putting the trash out? Twelve hours even?

''This is weird. What's going on...?''

I couldn't believe that I had fallen asleep while I was filling a trash bag. Something must have happened then—

"Mhn!" A strange utter escaped my lips as Tokiya's tickling breath found its way into my ear. I hurriedly closed my mouth.

''I hope he didn't hear that.''

Now that I thought about it, Tokiya and I were cuddl... no, our bodies were entwi... no, he was holding me dow... anyway, we were in that specific situation. On top of that, Tokiya had already been asleep when I'd woken up.

In other words, we had been sleeping together like this.

''...But how and why did we end up in this position?''

Suddenly, my awareness of the situation jumped up. Not as words, but by feeling his touch and his warmth, I grew aware that his face, his hand, and his body were pressed against mine.

"A-At any rate, I should wake him up."

I tried to push him away from below, but he turned out to be heavier than expected. That reminded me that I'd once read somewhere that sleeping kids were heavy.

Because his position had changed in the process, however, Tokiya started to shift about and, even worse, intertwined the fingers of his right hand with those of my left hand.

It was as though we were holding hands.

"T-Tokiya."

I didn't care about why I had been asleep for twelve hours anymore; this situation was far more urgent.

''Anyways, I have to push him away.''

However, neither did Tokiya move away, nor could I move him away.

''Please, Towako-san, come down here.'' The moment I thought so, my savior came down the stairs.

"Saki-chaaan, I'm hungry! Is dinner ready?"

"Ah, Towako-san, you've come just at the right moment..." I said, asking for help with my problem—

"Sorry for disturbing!"

But my request was ignored; Towako-san made an about-turn and went back up the stairs.

''Huh? Why would she just go away? Huh? Disturbing? What did she mean by "disturbing"?''

For once, I shouted at the top of my lungs: "Y-You, you've got the wrong idea!"

After I had somehow managed to stop her, I explained the situation to her and had her move Tokiya away.

"What should I say—that was a surprise! Sure didn't expect to find you two making love!"

"That's a misunderstanding."

She had clearly used a false expression.

I moved my gaze from Towako-san to Tokiya. He was still asleep and wouldn't wake up no matter how much we shook and hit him. ''Is he that tired?''

"By the way, do you happen to know what I've been doing today? I don't remember anything between eight in the morning until now. It seems like I was sleeping, though..."

"Eight in the morning? About the time when you came to wake me up?" Towako-san asked back.

"Yes. The last thing I remember doing is having breakfast and trying to bring out the trash."

"Hm... I also got up just now, you see. Can't help you with that."

"You've been asleep for more than twelve hours?"

"Well, that's an all-nighter for you. The day was over by the time I got out of my bed," Towako-san explained as she tilted her head left and right, cracking her shoulders. Apparently, she was still exhausted. Thinking like that, it might not be that strange that we would sleep for so long, either.

''I suppose it's possible to fall asleep for half a day because of exhaustion...?''

"Speaking of which, what are you investigating?" I asked.

"Ah, a few things about that Censer."

She was referring to the Relic Tokiya had brought, which allowed anyone who fell asleep while burning incense with it to control their dreams. He received the censer from a girl in his school who had fallen victim to it and decided to entrust Towako-san with it.

"More importantly, I'm hungry."

"Ah, yes. I'll prepare dinner right away. Just let me tidy away the trash before that..."

Because I'd suddenly fallen asleep, the trash bin was turned over and its contents were scattered about on the floor. I didn't have time to bring out the trash, but I wanted to stuff it into a bag at least.

"Oh, I'll take care of that. Into the kitchen with you!" To my surprise, Towako-san offered to help with the housework for once. I gathered that she was starving, not having eaten anything all day.

"Okay, can I ask you to fill the bag, then?"

"Sure!" she replied as she walked toward the trash bin—

Her face suddenly turned stern.

"Towako-san?"

She ran her finger across the floor and scowled at it.

"What's the matter?" I asked, and noticed on a closer look that her finger was covered with dust. "Should I wipe off the dust?"

"It's ashes."

"Ashes?"

"I remember now. Yesterday, Tokiya threw away the remaining ashes inside the Censer into the trash bin." Towako-san dusted off her finger. "You fell asleep when you were emptying this trash bin, correct?"

"Um, yes."

"Didn't that whirl up some ashes?"

"Now that you mention it..."

I remembered being bothered by the dust that was raised when I moved the contents into the bag. Right after that, I suddenly became sleepy—

"Tokiya! Wake up!" Towako-san yelled as she gave him a shake. However, Tokiya showed no signs of waking up. She proceeded to examining his hands; his fingers were covered by ashes like hers. "Maybe there's some side effect to the ashes of that censer. Keep an eye on Tokiya; I'm looking into the matter," she said and went back upstairs.

I gazed after her. I had to leave this matter to her.

While putting a blanket over Tokiya, I pondered over what I should do after that, since I was well rested. I also felt uncomfortable because I hadn't kept the shop that day.

''Does this mark the start of the Tsukumodo Antique Shop late night opening?''

Suddenly, Tokiya turned over, pushing away the blanket. When I reached out to adjust the blanket for him, he also tried to do the same in his sleep and accidentally grabbed my hand.

I almost pulled my hand back, but I reconsidered.

His hand was bigger than I'd thought; surprisingly hard skin and big fingers made his hand appear very masculine.

I recalled the touch of our intertwined fingers, the weight of his body, his warmth.

Noticing how my face was heating up, I put my hand on my cheek to cool down a bit. Because the feel of Tokiya's hand was still fresh, however, it felt as though ''his'' hand was stroking my cheek.

I immediately shake off those strange thoughts by physically shaking my head.

I had been a bit strange ever since that day—by "that day" I mean the day when Tokiya went to the rescue of that girl who had fallen victim to the censer—ever since Tokiya had done a certain thing to me.

However, in a sense, I also thought that there was nothing strange about that.

It may look like I'm always working on some Relic-related incidents or caring about our sales, but that's not true.

At the end of the day, I'm just a teenager girl.

I do have them, too — those moments when you get conscious of the other sex.
</div>

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

I was lying around alone when I woke up.

Well, I always sleep alone, so that was completely normal. What wasn't quite as normal was the fact that I had been sleeping in the living room at the Tsukumodo Antique Shop.

''Why didn't I sleep at home?'' I thought and tried to trace my memories of the previous day.

''Right!'' When I'd come to work in the evening, I'd come across a shocking scene.

The shop was closed.

While you wouldn't find any customers at any time throughout the year, you could be sure that the Tsukumodo Antique Shop wasn't closed on any day in the week, unless there were special circumstances. And I hadn't heard of any.

I entered the shop through the back door and discovered Saki collapsed on the floor in the living room. Her condition and that of the shop immediately linked in my head.

''Has she been lying there since before the opening time?''

Keeping my blood from running cold with all my might, I rushed into the room and raised her upper body—

Saki was sleeping leisurely; with the usual lack of expression in her face and no sign of pain.

Suddenly, a possible explanation crossed my mind: Towako-san had been investigating the censer I'd brought her the other day; Saki must have been assisting her until late at night.

After I'd let out a deep sigh, I put a blanket over Saki and reluctantly opened the shop.

Before I knew it, it was closing time. Wanting to take my leave, I tried to wake Saki up, but no matter how much I shook and nudged her, she wouldn't open her eyes.

Slowly but surely getting suspicious, I took a look around because I feared that there was a relation to yet another Relic. However, there was nothing special to catch the eye, except maybe for the trash bin which was turned over.

When I grabbed the bin to raise it, I noticed that my hand had gotten dirty. Analyzing the touch and the smell, I found out that it was ashes—the ashes I had thrown away the other day that had been inside the censer.

The censer gave its users absolute control over their dreams, and, more importantly, the incense burnt with it was very sleep-inducing—

I realized that Saki's deep sleep must have been caused by the censer or its ashes.

But that realization had come too late.

I had probably breathed in some when I smelled on the ashes; I was suddenly assaulted by an overwhelming wave of sleepiness I could hardly resist.

During the last moments of consciousness, I had tried to shake Saki awake—

But my thread of consciousness had been cut before I succeeded.

''Most likely, I've been sound asleep after that,'' I thought after ending my flashback.

The clock revealed to me that it was shortly after eight in the morning, which would mean that I had slept for about twelve hours.

"Where's Saki?" I muttered, unable to make out Saki, who had been sleeping here as well.

Wanting to take a look into her room, I went to the stairs, just to run into Towako-san who was coming downstairs carrying an energy drink in one hand.

"Oh, woken up?"

"Towako-san, I was..." She signaled me to stop before I could finish.

"You were charmed to sleep by that censer, no?"

I was an open book to Towako-san, as it seemed.

"Is Saki okay?" I asked.

"I've just taken a look into her room. She's sound asleep."

"All day and night?"

"No, she was awake during the night."

"I see..." Saki had been awake while I was asleep. "Because of the censer, I suppose?"

"To be exact, it's because of the incense burnt with it. Probably some kind of side effect. Give me some more time to find out the details."

"Got it."

"How are you feeling?" Towako-san asked me.

"Normal. In fact, I feel pretty well rested."

"Doesn't surprise me, seeing that you've had a good twelve hours rest. So, what are you going to do?"

"Hm?"

"Classes are starting."

"Shit, I'm late!"

Seems like I had been still half-asleep; cruel reality blew away the cobwebs.

"Drop me a message during each break. Just in case you fall asleep at school."

"Okay, see you!" I replied as I dashed outside. ''Sure got myself into some trouble again'', I thought while I was running to school.

Yes, at the time, I had no idea how severe this incident truly was.

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

<div style="color: #75365A; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
The situation became a bit clearer after a few days.

For one thing, we learned that the ashes of the Censer came with a sleep-inducing side-effect whose sleep could not be interrupted. For another thing, that sleep would always set in at a certain time of the day and last for exactly 12 hours.

In other words, I was asleep from 8 AM until 8 PM and awake from 8 PM until 8 AM. Tokiya, on the other hand, was asleep from 8 PM until 8 AM and awake from 8 AM until 8 PM, meaning that he was asleep just when I was awake and vice versa.

Tokiya could still consider himself happy: He was awake when he had to attend classes and keep the shop. The only real downside he had to deal with was a slightly increased sleep length.

However, I was different. I couldn't work.

I would wake up just when the shop closed and fall asleep when the shop opened its doors. I was upset; I'd even asked Towako-san to provisionally extend the opening time, but in the end, there were no customers at so late an hour.

Of course, I didn't just sit back and do nothing: I tried everything that I could to attract customers nonetheless, starting off by reading "SPECIAL ISSUE: Behind The Scenes - Night Clubs" and "Becoming A Queen Of The Night Made Easy." However, these books were of no use for the Tsukumodo Antique Shop.

To begin with, I wasn't allowed to drink alcohol yet, nor was I a queen.

Once, I followed the advice given in "How To Snatch Customers Off The Street At Night" and tried approaching someone on the main street saying "Hey boss, fancy to take a look at one of our hot antiques?" but that person was not an executive. Unfortunately, I don't have the ability to recognize superiors at a glance, and most of all, there were no people that late at night that looked like they would be leading a team.

''Anyway.''

Being unable to serve any customers had left me stressed and made me realize once again that I'd been born for customer service. I hadn't expected that not being able to work would be so agonizing.

''Besides—''

I hadn't met Tokiya for days. Not in an awake state, at least...

''Somehow I don't like this.''

I looked at Tokiya who was lying next to me, sound asleep.
[[Image:Tsukumodo_V3_269.jpg|400px|right]]

We had decided that Tokiya would be staying here for a while because it was dangerous if he suddenly fell asleep at home when he was alone. We weren't absolutely sure of the sleep cycles yet.

''Just bear up with it a little longer, Saki'', I told myself, ''Towako-san is searching for a solution.''

"Hah..." I sighed as I poked his nose with my finger.

''You could at least make an effort to stay awake once in a while!''
</div>

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

The situation became a bit clearer after a few days.

For one thing, we learned that the ashes of the Censer came with a sleep-inducing side-effect whose sleep could not be interrupted. For another thing, that sleep would always set in at a certain time of the day and last for exactly 12 hours.

In other words, I was asleep from 8 PM until 8 AM and awake from 8 AM until 8 PM. Saki, on the other hand, was asleep from 8 AM until 8 PM and awake from 8 PM until 8 AM, meaning that she was asleep just when I was awake and vice versa.

Saki could still consider herself happy: She had a proper excuse to sleep through her shift and was free to do whatever she wanted at night. Well, I didn't know if there was anything she would want to do, though.

However, I was different. I had to go to school ''and'' to work.

Even though I could've called in sick if only my sleep cycle would set in during school, I would always wake up at 8 sharp, which was, to top things off, just in time to barely make it to school somehow. Every morning I had to get up in a hurry and run there at full speed. The evenings weren't any better, since work was calling, leaving me with not a single free minute before getting sleepy. Moreover, I had trouble following my buddies at school when they talked about the TV shows they had watched the day before for obvious reasons.

''Anyway.''

Having no free time for myself had left me stressed and made me realize again how much I loved my liberties. I hadn't expected that spending all time for school, work, and school would be so agonizing.

''Besides—''

I hadn't met Saki for days. Not in an awake state, at least...

''Somehow I don't like this.''

I looked at Saki who was lying next to me, sound asleep.

We had decided that Saki would be sleeping in the living room for a while because it was dangerous if she suddenly fell asleep while using the stairs. We weren't absolutely sure of the sleep cycles yet.

''You won't have to endure this much longer'', I told myself, ''Towako-san is searching for a solution.''

"Hah..." I sighed as I poked Saki's cheeks with my finger.

''Geez, try to stay awake once in a while!''

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

<div style="color: #75365A; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
After long, Towako-san finally discovered a way to break the sleeping spell that lay on us:

"A kiss will do."

That's what she said.

"......"

"......"

"You want me to try to hit him and fail," I said.

"That'd be a ''miss''."

"You want us to become happy."

"You're looking for ''bliss''."

"That language."

"That'd be Swiss."

"Nothing. Just bup—"

"—kis."

"Sounds about right, doesn't it?"

"No, it doesn't. I'm talking about a smooch, a lip smack," Towako-san repeated.

"An illicitly distilled alcoholic liquor, and a watchmaking brand dedicated solely to children."

"Hooch and Flik Flak. You know some quite obscure stuff, don't you? ...I can see that you're flustered, but please stop with those silly jokes. You're not that type of character."

''Yes, it's not typical of me to be so flustered.''

However, there was no way I could keep a cool head after hearing something like that. They may say that I have no feelings or that I don't show them, but the odds are that my confusion did show this specific time.

"Well, the only thing that can awake Snow White from her sleep is the Prince's kiss," Towako-san explained.

"That scene was an addition of the movie and does not exist in the original tale by the Grimm Brothers."

"I don't care. The point is that the same thing happened in the past and was solved that way. So come on, get on with it!"

"Y-You can talk..."

"Hey, it's just a kiss—you're past that stage, aren't you?"

"We're not!"

"Even though you were squeezing each other in my shop the other day?"

"But that's because Tokiya...!" ''Because he suddenly hugged me...''

Towako-san had been teasing me with that for days.

"Well, I guess it's a bit embarrassing if I'm watching, no? I'm waiting over there."

"No, but..."

I looked at Tokiya—at his lips. My eyes were drawn to that one point.

I felt a blush spread over my cheeks.

''That's not typical of me at all.''

Recollecting myself, I raised my head, just to find Towako-san broadly grinning at me.

"I-I'm not going to do it," I declared.

"But the spell won't break if you don't."

"But..."

Towako-san held her hand against her mouth and, with an amused smile resembling that of a child who had just received a new toy, she said: "Well, then you'll just have to wait for Tokiya do it for you."
</div>

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

After long, Towako-san finally discovered a way to break the sleeping spell that lay on us:

"A kiss will do."

That's what she said.

"......"

"......"

"You want me to try to hit her and fail," I said.

"That'd be a ''miss''."

"You want us to become happy."

"You're looking for ''bliss''."

"That language."

"That'd be Swiss."

"Nothing. Just bup—"

"—kis."

"Sounds about right, doesn't it?"

"No, it doesn't. I'm talking about a smooch, a lip smack," Towako-san repeated."

"An illicitly distilled..."

"I've already heard that!"

She beat me, but that didn't help me to cool down. There was no way in hell I could stomach an order like that without getting all flustered, no matter how cool-headed and reasonable I always was.

"Who did you just call reasonable and cool-headed?"

"No remarks on monologues, please," I requested.

"You were speaking aloud."

''Oh, really? See? I'm so shaken that I can't even hold my monologues in!''

"Well, the only thing that can awake Snow White from her sleep is the Prince's kiss," Towako-san explained.

"That was just an addition of the movie, and..."

"I've already hear that as well. Saki-chan did that one."

''Oho! She must have also been quite bamboozled if she really gave the same replies as me!''

"Anyway, there was a case like this in the past and it was solved like that, so go ahead and give it a try. Can't hurt, can it? Come on, get on with it!"

"Y-You can talk..."

"But you two are past your first kiss, aren't you? Saki-chan wouldn't tell me, though."

"We're not!"

"Even though you were squeezing each other in my shop the other day?"

"But that's because Saki...!" ''Because I was shown a dream where she died, so I overreacted a tiny bit when I confirmed that she was safe and sound...''

But Towako-san had been teasing me with that for days.

"Well, I guess it's a bit embarrassing if I'm watching, no? I'm waiting over there."

"No, but..."

I looked at Saki who was sleeping in the living room—at her lips. My eyes were drawn to that one point.

I felt a blush spread over my cheeks.

That's not typical of me at all.

Recollecting myself, I raised my head, just to find Towako-san broadly grinning at me.

"I-I'm not going to do it," I declared.

"But the spell won't break if you don't."

"But..."

Towako-san held her hand against her mouth and, with an amused smile resembling that of a child who had just received a new toy, she said: "Well, time to man up then."

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

<div style="color: #75365A; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
It was 8 PM sharp when I woke up.

Next to me lay a sleeping Tokiya, who must have fallen asleep just now.

That meant that the spell hadn't been broken yet—in other words, that he hadn't kissed me.

I found myself being half-relieved and half-disappointed... R-Relieved because Tokiya didn't turn out to be a frivolous player who would do something like that without hesitating, and d-disappointed not because he didn't kiss me, of course, but because the curse hadn't been broken...!

A-Anyway, it seemed like it wasn't that simple for Tokiya, either. ''He needs time to prepare himself'', I guessed. After all, I had been quite flustered that morning as well, atypical as it was of me.

''But maybe he'll be ready tomorrow.''

''What needs be done on my part? Well... I'll be asleep by then, so I can only sleep normally.''

I tried lying down on my back.

''Yes, lying like this should do the trick...''

''Wait! Doesn't it look like I'm waiting for him when I'm sleeping like this?''

''Indeed. Let's go with a face-down position.''

I turned over onto my belly.

''Wait! Tokiya won't be able to do anything like this.''

''How about making a compromise and sleeping sideways?''

I turned myself 90 degrees.

Tokiya's face was right before my eyes.

I jumped to my feet.

''Wow, that startled me. This isn't good for my heart. I should calm down and give it some more thought later.''

Suddenly feeling exhausted, I let out a deep sigh. And then I noticed something.

''Oh, I haven't brushed my teeth yet. Let's take care of this first, yes!''

I went to the bathroom and started brushing my teeth; the typical "ch-ch-ch" resounded through the room.

"Not that I have bad breath. Yesterday's dinner was mainly vegetables, after all."

Ch-ch-ch.

"Ah, but I added some minced onions to the omelets. I should be fine, though, since I didn't eat them raw..."

Ch-ch-ch.

"N-Now that I think about it, I had some black tea before I went to sleep. A peculiar type, so maybe there's still some of its fragrance left..."

Ch-ch-ch-ch.

"C-Come to think of it, I also had some tea ''after'' brushing my teeth because I became thirsty..."

Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch.

"Hm? Why are you brushing your teeth?" Towako-san suddenly said from behind.

"Uh..."

''Oh, I almost swallowed the toothpaste.''

I finished and turned around to her.

"We didn't even have dinner yet..." Towako-san muttered suspiciously and then flashed a mischievous smile. "Quite the impatient girl, aren't you, Saki-chan? You still have over 11 hours left. Heh, way to go! Make sure to brush them well!"

"T-That's not it..."

"''What's'' not it?"

''S-She's enjoying it. She's totally enjoying this situation.''

Feigning indifference, I asked, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but does it matter who executes the method that you mentioned for lifting the curse?"

"Hm? Well, I guess it doesn't."

"Why don't ''you'' do it, then, Towako-san?"

I thought that was a great idea, if I may say so myself. There was no need that it was Tokiya and me who kissed.

Towako-san put a hand to her chin, and after some thought, she said "I see" as she clapped her hands. "It can be interpreted like that indeed!"

She walked up to me, and gently lifted my chin up, making me face her, while did the exact opposite and ducked my head slightly.

"That's cool with me, I guess, if you insist," she said.

"Eh? Eh? Eh?" Despite being the originator of the idea, I wasn't able to follow.

Towako-san's womanly lips drew nearer and nearer; they were moist and beautiful because she always used a weak lipstick.

''How about me?'' I became worried that my lips were dry. ''It would be embarrassing if he thought I had chapped lips.''

''Ah, didn't Koumoto-san give me a lipstick back then?'' I thought back at the hairdresser I had visited recently. ''But isn't it a bit strange to put on lipstick for sleep? No, it's not, right?''

''Ah! I shouldn't be thinking about this now!''

"Oh, wait!" Towako-san suddenly said, just when I was about to look away, as she pulled her head back.

"What's the matter?" I asked while hiding the relief I was feeling inside. It was such times that I was grateful of my lack of expression.

"I just thought I'd better keep your lips for Tokiya because he may have changed his mind by now. 'Guess I'll only take care of him for the time being."

''Take care of him...? That means that Towako-san is going to...''

"Well, let's strike while the iron's hot, shall we?"

With these words, she walked toward Tokiya, but suddenly she stopped and slowly turned to me.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Well?" She pointed downward.

I followed her finger and noticed that I had grabbed her sleeve without noticing. Completely unwittingly.

"Eh, um, I..." I quickly pulled my hand away as I searched for words.

I had really not intended to do so. My hands had moved on their own.

Towako-san gave a light laugh and concluded, "You should really do it by the two of you."

"Ah, no, I didn't mean to..."

"Wouldn't it save everyone time and costs if the kiss was just between Tokiya and you, Saki-chan?" She patted on my head and left the bathroom.

''Save time and costs? She's right. We are carrying the same curse, so it would be more effective this way. Besides, we can't bother Towako-san with even more work when she has already done all the research for us.''

''I must have already come to that conclusion subconsciously, and that's why my hand held her back.''

''Yes, I'm sure.''
</div>

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

It was 8 AM sharp when I woke up.

Next to me lay a sleeping Saki who must have fallen asleep just now.

That meant that the spell hadn't been broken yet—in other words, that she hadn't kissed me.

I found myself being half-relieved and half-disappointed... R-Relieved that Saki didn't beat me to it, because well, I'm the guy, so I should do it, and d-disappointed because I'd had faint hopes that the curse might be lifted conveniently through some other way...

A-Anyway, I had to seize the initiative. For one thing, it seemed unlikely to me that Saki would... do ''that'', and for another, I felt that this was a task for the guy to do. I felt so... but that's easier said than done.

However, my own misgivings weren't the problem here. I didn't care about myself so much.

I for one didn't have any special ideas on how I wanted to experience my first kiss, nor did I want to save it for ever. ''Yeah, my first! Got a problem?!''

Anyway, I was actually done preparing myself mentally.

The problem was how Saki felt about it.

I didn't think that she was exactly happy, but I wondered if she was willing to swallow the bitter pill; that would've made things easier. What I feared, however, was that she was desperately searching for another way that didn't involve ''that''.

Or perhaps, she preferred to leave the curse as it was over lifting it through that method.

"Ah, dammit! Can't we have a few minutes when we're both awake?!"

''Why are our sleeping cycles precisely 12 hours from another...?''

I started chewing on a gum to calm down a bit, and finally came up with a great—or maybe decent—idea.

"I'll leave her a message."

That was our best bet if we couldn't directly talk with each other.

I took a notepad and a pencil and decided to write her a message. I didn't care that I was going to be late for school.

''Okay, now what to write.''

"I never know how to start this sort of thing. Um... ''Dear Saki, my name is Tokiya Kurusu.'' Okay, I guess I'm officially stupid. Dude, what's the point in writing a full-fledged letter?"

Nom-nom-nom, I chewed on my gum.

"Straight to the point. Hmmm, ''hey, may I kiss you?'' Whoa, this is embarrassing as hell!"

Nom-nom-nom.

"You're missing the point, dude. She knows what I'm going to do well enough."

Nom-nom-nom.

"The main problem is... um, ''are you okay if your first kiss is with me?'' Man, you're a wimp. You're a total wimp, dude!"

Nom-nom-nom.

"Dammit! Nothing feels right... well, of course not! There's not right or wrong to this sort of thing!"

Nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom.

"Oh, Tokiya? Still here?" Towako-san said as she entered the living room, still drowsy with sleep.

"Ugh..."

''Oh, I almost gulped down my chewing gum.''

In a hurry—but while pretending to be as cool as a cucumber—I tossed the pile of memos into the trash bin.

"What're you doing?" she asked, "Hm? You bought some candy? Now that's something. Lemme see. 'Freshens Your Breath', 'For a Good Breath', 'eliminates bad breath after meals', 'Citrus Mint.'" she read aloud the texts on the package, and flashed a mischievous grin. "Lech."

"H-Hey, I didn't buy them to freshen my breath or anything! They help me settle down."

"Why do you need to settle down?"

"Eh..."

"Listen, screw that settling-down stuff and strike the iron while it's hot. Saki-chan's waiting, you know?"

"Mind your own business! I'm going to school!"

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

<div style="color: #75365A; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
It was 8 PM sharp when I woke up.

Next to me lay a sleeping Tokiya who must have fallen asleep just now.

That meant that the spell hadn't been lifted yet—in other words, that he hadn't kissed me yet.

''...so I prepared myself for nothing. Eh, not that I did anything in special; I always sleep face-up, after all, and while I did brush my teeth twice as often and long as usual, that was only a counter-measure against caries!''

''The lip-stick was just against dry lips, too. They have been a little chapped lately.''

''A-Anyway.''

I gave Tokiya a reproachful look.

''Coward...''

These 12-hour cycles were going to continue if he didn't do anything; we wouldn't ever be able to talk with each other again!

''Or is he okay with that...?''

"!" I gasped when suddenly that thought raised a new possibility.

''Yes... perhaps that's true.''

Tokiya could go to school and to work without a problem. The only things that had changed for him were that he could sleep a little bit more and that he couldn't see me when I was awake.

Perhaps, he didn't consider that a problem. Perhaps, he didn't mind a change of that extent. Perhaps—

He would rather keep things as they were than fulfilling the condition needed to lift the curse.

I hadn't thought of such a possibility; I hadn't fathomed that Tokiya might be put off.

"Hey, Tokiya... are you really so loath to do it?"

There was no response.

I was overcome by anxiety—the desire to run away.

At the end of the day, I'm just a teenager girl.

I do have them, too — those moments when you get uneasy because you imagine being disliked.
</div>

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

It was 8 AM sharp when I woke up.

Next to me lay a sleeping Saki who must have fallen asleep just now.

It was about time to settle things.

Before going to sleep, I had decided that I would no longer waver when I next woke up.

I had also asked Shinjou, a classmate of mine, for advice, because—much to my chagrin—he had already had his first kiss with that manager girl. Completely dumbfounded he asked, "What? You haven't kissed yet? Even though you've got such a cute girlfriend?" Saki and I weren't in that kind of relationship, but I didn't want to flinch in front of him.

Basically, my manly pride had accelerated my determination. While that may be a bit rude toward the other party, I didn't care.

It was as Towako-san had said: I just had to strike the iron while it was hot.

I looked around cautiously.

Having Towako-san anywhere nearby was going to brake me, but I had to use my current momentum. Otherwise, I wasn't going to get in motion anytime soon.

"Okay, let's do this!" I said, bracing myself, and leaned over Saki.

Her dreaming face—her calm, defenseless face—was right before my eyes. Even her deadpan look was pretty cute when she was asleep.

While I was gazing her face, my mind was attacked by several stray thoughts. ''I didn't know her eyelashes were so long. She really has silky skin.''

''No no, I gotta concentrate.''

I looked at her delicate, slightly moist, slightly colored lips.

Was that lip-stick...? Against chapped lips, or because she had prepared herself as well?

At any rate, I was absorbed by her unexpectedly fine lips.

"Uh..." I accidentally gulped down, producing an uncomfortably loud gulping sound.

''Hey, I, I don't have any nasty thoughts!''

''This is for the sake of both of us.''

''Yeah, go! Tokiya Kurusu, if you are a man, you shall not hesitate! Go and taste them! Eh, no. Well, but yes.''

''Anyway, go, Tokiya, take a deep breath and get to it!''

I braced my arms that were supporting my body—and noticed that I'd touched something.

It was a memo.

Since it looked like a message from Saki, I picked it up and read it.

''How long are you going to take for something that's no different from mouth-to-mouth resuscitation?''

''What a...''

''What a charmless girl...''

Despite all my worries that I'd fought against for days like a complete moron, wondering if she was okay with someone like me, she didn't seem to care in the least.

No, she considered the source of my worries to be on the same level as mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. She was spitting on the time I had spent worrying, saying that I should hurry up, as if she didn't even care about my feelings.

I moved away from Saki.

I had lost momentum.

No, it had vanished.

Into thin air.

Leaving nothing behind.

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

<div style="color: #75365A; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
It was 8 PM sharp when I woke up.

Next to me... was no one.

"Eh?"

''Could this mean that we...?''

Just when I was about to touch my lips, I noticed that Tokiya was sleeping at the corner. Without a blanket and turned toward the wall.

''Why is that...?''

Tokiya should have been awake if the curse had been lifted. If, on the other hand, the curse was still intact, I didn't see why he would sleep so far from me. Of course, there was no reason for us to sleep in the same futon either, but we had only one down here and we wouldn't be sleeping there at the same time anyway. Until now, Tokiya had always been right beside me when I woke up.

Just by sleeping separately and turned away from each other, I felt somehow rejected—

Suddenly, my hand bumped against something. It was the message I had written to Tokiya when I was getting anxious.

The piece of paper was crumpled as though it had been scrunched up. Perhaps, I had accidentally rolled on it while sleeping.

After some fiddling, I managed to unfold the memo, and found my message as well as an additional line with Tokiya's handwriting and his words.

''If it means so little to you, then do it yourself!''

''...So he was loath to do it, after all.''

Turning his back to me was a sign of clear, unmistakable rejection.

The only reason why he was still sleeping in the same room despite that was probably to have me put an end to this already. He could still make excuses if the one actually doing it was me.

At any rate, he must absolutely hate to do it himself. So much that he couldn't even do it when thinking of it as mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.''

''Why am I adding ''probablies'' and ''musts''?''

''He '''does''' hate to do it.''

I had had a faint feeling that Tokiya was interested in me, but I was wrong. Perhaps, there was already a girl on his mind even.

However, I was sure that wasn't me.

It might be wrong to think like this, since we weren't in a relationship or anything, but I just, I just wanted him to show maybe not affection, but at least that he didn't hate me. Not that I got my hopes up; I just wanted him to be a tiny bit attracted to me.

However, Tokiya didn't want to. So much that he couldn't even think of it as rescue breathing. So much that he had to push the task upon me.

He could hardly bear it if I was his partner.

''But then—''

''Why did you embrace me like that?!''

Because of that, I had been strangely aware of Tokiya the past few days. He hadn't even given me a proper explanation.

It was no coincidence. He did not stumble.

He hugged me closely and strongly, so that I could hardly breathe.

But maybe that had nothing to do with that kind of feeling. Maybe I was alone with thinking about him all the time.

Perhaps, it had been nothing special to Tokiya.

''I feel like an idiot.''

I tossed the memo I had crumpled up again at the trash bin. Instead of falling into it, however, the bin fell over and distributed its contents on the floor.

''Even this won't go smoothly.''

In order to bring out the trash, I stood up and started to collect the spilled contents as if to collect myself and recover from the ruffled emotions. There were lots of bubble gum wrappers and packages and scraps of paper. I noticed that I hadn't regularly brought out the trash ever since this started.

''Let's get this over with already.''

''Is Towako-san awake? Once I'm done here, I'll ask her to do what must be done Tokiya and me and be done with it.''

''Maybe I should just use that Censer and get the real thing?''

With such silly thoughts I picked up another memo sheet. ''One of the many I have written and scrapped'', I figured. I had composed a whole lot of them while I was racking my brains about what I should write.

''Tokiya is going to bothered if he sees this; I'll pick those out and burn them for good.''

''Dear Saki, my name is Tokiya Kurusu—''

"Huh?"

I didn't recognize the message written on the memo.

''It's not one of mine...?''

I carefully smoothed the crumpled sheet. Though hard to read, it was Tokiya's handwriting; he had written this memo.

I tried taking a look at the other crumpled sheets.

''Hey, may I kiss you?''

''Are you okay if your first kiss is with me?''

''Won't you regret it?''

''If you'd rather not, I'm absolutely okay with that!''

I found countless of these messages. Written, crumpled, discarded. Written, crumpled, discarded.

I could clearly picture his uncertainty to myself.

I could clearly see how much he had thought about me, how much he had worried about me, and how much he had brooded over this matter.

I could clearly understand why he couldn't just think of it as mouth-to-mouth resuscitation—because of me.

I almost had to laugh. No one else but ''Saki Maino'' almost had to laugh.

"You're such a silly."

I walked to where Tokiya was sleeping, facing the wall without even putting a blanket over himself.

Earlier, he had frightened me because he looked like he was rejecting me, but now he looked cute, like a sulking boy.

I covered him with a blanket and gently put a newly written memo into his hand.

"Hey, Tokiya..." I whispered softly at his ear, not caring that he couldn't hear me.
</div>

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

It was 5 PM I had come back from school and was looking down at a sleeping Saki.

That morning, Saki hadn't been beside me when I woke up. For a moment there I got my hopes up, but I quickly noticed her sleeping in the middle of the room, face-up; It was me who had been sleeping elsewhere and who had the blanket.

The curse had not been lifted.

Apparently, Saki was bent on pushing the job upon me, but I had not the slightest intention to do as she wanted.

I was thinking to leave it to Towako-san, who, however, seemed to be absent at the present time. She wasn't there in the morning, either. ''Jeez, she'd better not be doing it on purpose.''

Anyway, I had no choice but to wait for her return while praying that that would be before 8 PM. I didn't want to stay like this forever.

I looked at Saki's face.

It was the same carefree, expressionless face like always.

I would have loved to share even just a fraction of my worries with her. That being said, she would probably maintain her deadpan face, and reply something like, "What? You've been thinking about ''that''?"

"If it's so simple for you, why won't ''you''..." I started making complaints she couldn't hear anyway, when I suddenly discovered a memo where I had been sleeping this morning.

''The one I left next to her pillow yesterday...?''

I had written something along the lines of "''If it means so little to you, then do it yourself!''"

''Does that mean that she didn't read it, if it's lying around there? Or did she read it and then throw it away?''

I picked up the—to my surprise—neatly folded memo.

''Didn't I crumple it when I placed it next to Saki...?''

I unfolded the sheet of paper and looked at it.

"What..."

It was a letter from Saki.

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

<div style="color: #75365A; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
I woke up.

Next to me—was no one.

Tokiya was already within my field of vision when I woke up.

"Finally woken up? I was really getting worried because you wouldn't wake up for two hours!" he explained as he let out a deep sigh of relief. "Well, but looks like the curse is gone now."
[[Image:Tsukumodo_V3_304.jpg|400px|right]]

He showed me the time; it was 7 PM. One hour before I would usually wake up.

"If I'm not asleep in an hour, then that's over and done with, no?" he smiled at me.

The fact that I was awake at this time meant that the curse had been lifted, which in turn meant that ''that certain act'' had been conducted, and the fact that Tokiya was standing there was speaking for itself...

So was the fact that I still felt a slightly tickling sensation on my lips...

"Saki." Tokiya was looking at me with a serious expression.

"I-It's fine. Don't mind it. It's really just like rescue breathing. Ah, no, it's not like I'm thinking of it like that. Just, how should I put it... um, I am, yes, happy that you were..."

"Meow~"

"That you were... huh? Meow?"

An unfamiliar sound called me back to reality. A cat poked its head out on Tokiya's arms. It was Mii, Asami-chan's pet.

But what was Mii doing here?

"Ah, um, listen. A lot happened, you know, but to cut right to the chase..."

"Yes?"

"This little guy has lifted our curse."

"What?"

"Well... looks like even a fellow like this can lift that curse, eh?"

I looked at Mii in his arms. It innocently licked its lips as if to give its thanks for the feast.

The following day, I got up at 8 AM and disposed of the trash. It was quite a lot of work because the garbage had piled up over the past few days, but I was delighted to be able to work and get up at this time.

Shortly, I would be able to make my long-awaited comeback to the world of customer service.

I was excited. ''Yes, I am excited! Like never before! Truly.''

In the end, Tokiya also had Mii lift his curse and went home after confirming that he didn't fall asleep at 8 PM. We had made sure to pack the ashes tightly up when throwing them into the trash, so that nothing would leak.

''What a troublesome pile of ashes. Really, this can't be said enough.''

"Ah, Saki-chaan!" someone called my name.

It was Asami-chan, one of my few friends and the owner of Mii.

"Did Mii behave well?" she asked.

"...Quite so."

"S-Saki-chan? Are you angry?"

''Oh no, I became rattled for a moment.''

"No, I'm not. But that aside: you're quite early today, what's the matter?"

"I'm here to fetch Mii."

"Oh, I would have brought Mii to you..."

Tokiya had told me to return Mii to Asami-chan in the morning. I had been planning to go as soon as I'd taken care of the garbage and prepared breakfast.

"But I was missing Mii."

"Let's head back together then." I proposed.

"Mm," she nodded in response.

We joined our hands and walked back to the Tsukumodo Antique Shop. On the way, Asami-chan pursed her small lips and complained, "Onii-chan was a total meanie yesterday!"

She was referring to Tokiya by ''Onii-chan''.

"He suddenly turned up in the evening and said he wanted to borrow Mii. He didn't even tell me why!"

Apparently, Asami-chan hadn't given Mii away willingly, which made perfect sense, since animals are not something to trade with. Tokiya must have been quite pushy to get Mii because he couldn't just explain the situation to her.

"You must always give a reason when you ask someone to lend you something!" Asami-chan said.

"You're right. I'll be sure to tell him."

I was amused to see her act so maturely.

"And I'll have to give him some more minus points for coming in the middle of dinner," she added.

"Oh, you were having dinner? That's quite early, isn't it?"

Tokiya must have gone to borrow Mii around 5 PM.

"Hm? I think it's normal. We always eat around that time."

"Right after you come home from school?" I asked.

"No, not really! School is already over at 5."

"Yes, but didn't you have dinner around that time?"

"If dinner was that early, I would get hungry at night! We always have it around 6."

"6? That's also when Tokiya came to borrow Mii?"

"Yeah."

''What's the meaning of this?''

''I mean, I woke up at 7 PM. That means that Tokiya can't have borrowed Mii at 6 PM.''

''After all...''

''After all...''

''Tokiya said:''

''I was really getting worried because you wouldn't wake up for two hours!''

Unless he had told me a lie, that would mean that the curse was lifted at 5 PM. But Tokiya borrowed Mii at 6 PM when Asami-chan was having dinner with her family.

''If that's true, Mii wasn't around at 5 PM, right?''

''What's the meaning of this?''

''Did he make a slip of the tongue? Or did Asami-chan's memory fail her?''

''Or—''

"Saki-chan, now you look happy somehow!"

"It's nothing."

Without even noticing, I touched my lips.
</div>

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

''Phew, looks like this matter has finally been settled. What a troublesome curse. Really.''

I had already seen my share of Relics, but none had exhausted me that much. I sure didn't want to experience that ever again.

Finally, I was back at Home, Sweet Home. My cheap apartment. My castle.

Lying on the floor, I put my hand into my pocket and took out a memo along with the rattling of paper.

It was the memo Saki had addressed to me.

I felt mortally embarrassed whenever I read it.

That girl had read the drafts I had thrown away!

''Dammit! I look totally stupid!''

It was sort of a reply to the unsightly fight I'd had with myself. While it did put an end to the conflict, it also threw up new worries.

It made me feel even worse for doing it in such an ambiguous and hidden manner while she was asleep!

After agonizing over it for an eternity, I had finally come up with the idea of using Mii.

''Leaving aside Mii for now—with the intention to apologize on another occasion—it looks like she completely bought it. That's one thing off my shoulders.''

I looked at her memo again. It was Saki's answer.

''Who else is there better?''

''That's way too cute for you...''

''When told something like that, even someone like me will...''

''Lose his self-control for a moment.''

<references />

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| Back to [[Tsukumodo:Volume 3 Dream|Dream]]
| Return to [[Tsukumodo Antique Shop|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Tsukumodo:Volume 3 Afterword|Afterword]]
|-
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</noinclude>

Tsukumodo:Volume 3 Sleeping Beauty

2015-03-25T21:31:17Z

Chocolatkey:

At the end of the day, I'm just a high school student.

It may look like I'm always working on some Relic-related incidents, but that's not true.

I do read manga and I do play video games just like anyone else, although I hardly ever buy any because I'm broke. And of course, I hang around with my friend after school when I'm not on shift, and I engage in silly chats during breaks. I'm happy when I get a good mark, and I'm depressed when I get a bad one. Not only do I join my buddies to some karaoke occasionally, I've also played billiards and darts and whatnot with them. And while I haven't had the opportunity yet, I'm also interested in skiing and snowboarding.

I could go on like that, but the point is that I do the same things and have the same interests as any high school student.

Anyway, what I'm really getting at here is... well, I'm not generally uninterested in, um, romance.

So it shouldn't be surprising that I would be a bit sensitive to this kind of thing, right?

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

<div style="color: #75365A; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
When I woke up, I realized that Tokiya had pushed me down.

No, "pushed down" might be an inaccurate expression, because I must have already been asleep and lying by the time it happened.

In that case, what should I label this situation?

His right cheek was softly pressed against mine, his left hand placed on my right, his right leg between my legs, and his body was on mine.

Should I say that he was holding me down? Let's make another quick check...

His right cheek was softly pressed against mine, his left hand placed on my right, his right leg between my legs, and his body was on mine.

Yes, "to hold down" should fit quite nicely. ''But wait'', I thought. He wasn't moving.

"Tokiya?" I called his name, but there was no response. He seemed to be sleeping and was breathing calmly.

Someone who's asleep can hardly hold you down, so this expression might be inaccurate as well. But what should I call this, then? Our bodies were entwined?

Something still feels off. Wasn't there a simple and straightforward expression for this kind of situation? For example—

We were cuddling.

"Cudd...!" I uttered unwittingly in surprise at my own thoughts.

Tokiya and I were cuddl... no, our bodies were entwi... no, he was holding me dow... anyway, we were in that specific situation.
[[Image:Tsukumodo_V3_252.jpg|400px|right]]

At 08:00 in the evening, in the living room, alone.

''At 08:00 in the evening...?''

I looked at the clock once again, but the display did read "PM" indeed.

The fact that Tokiya and I were cuddl... no, our bodies were entwi... no, he was holding me dow... anyway, the fact that we were in that specific situation confused me a lot already, but the time was just as startling.

I couldn't remember taking an afternoon nap.

I wondered if I had passed out, but I was unable to confirm that; there was a gap in my memory. Calming myself down, I started tracing my memory.

I had stood up in the morning, changed into my clothes and prepared breakfast. After that, I went to wake up Towako-san, but I was told not to because her latest investigations had reversed her circadian rhythm, which is why I then had breakfast alone. And then...

Right. I noticed that the trash bin was full. Therefore, I filled the trash into a bag.

That's where my memory cut off.

I had been taking breakfast, so it should have been about 08:00 AM.

I looked once more at the clock. It was eight o'clock in the evening. I managed to move my head—I accidentally rubbed my cheek against Tokiya's when I did so, but I tried not to think about it—and took a look out of the window. As expected, it was dark outside; this eliminated the possibility of the clock displaying the wrong time period.

Had I fallen asleep while putting the trash out? Twelve hours even?

''This is weird. What's going on...?''

I couldn't believe that I had fallen asleep while I was filling a trash bag. Something must have happened then—

"Mhn!" A strange utter escaped my lips as Tokiya's tickling breath found its way into my ear. I hurriedly closed my mouth.

''I hope he didn't hear that.''

Now that I thought about it, Tokiya and I were cuddl... no, our bodies were entwi... no, he was holding me dow... anyway, we were in that specific situation. On top of that, Tokiya had already been asleep when I'd woken up.

In other words, we had been sleeping together like this.

''...But how and why did we end up in this position?''

Suddenly, my awareness of the situation jumped up. Not as words, but by feeling his touch and his warmth, I grew aware that his face, his hand, and his body were pressed against mine.

"A-At any rate, I should wake him up."

I tried to push him away from below, but he turned out to be heavier than expected. That reminded me that I'd once read somewhere that sleeping kids were heavy.

Because his position had changed in the process, however, Tokiya started to shift about and, even worse, intertwined the fingers of his right hand with those of my left hand.

It was as though we were holding hands.

"T-Tokiya."

I didn't care about why I had been asleep for twelve hours anymore; this situation was far more urgent.

''Anyways, I have to push him away.''

However, neither did Tokiya move away, nor could I move him away.

''Please, Towako-san, come down here.'' The moment I thought so, my savior came down the stairs.

"Saki-chaaan, I'm hungry! Is dinner ready?"

"Ah, Towako-san, you've come just at the right moment..." I said, asking for help with my problem—

"Sorry for disturbing!"

But my request was ignored; Towako-san made an about-turn and went back up the stairs.

''Huh? Why would she just go away? Huh? Disturbing? What did she mean by "disturbing"?''

For once, I shouted at the top of my lungs: "Y-You, you've got the wrong idea!"

After I had somehow managed to stop her, I explained the situation to her and had her move Tokiya away.

"What should I say—that was a surprise! Sure didn't expect to find you two making love!"

"That's a misunderstanding."

She had clearly used a false expression.

I moved my gaze from Towako-san to Tokiya. He was still asleep and wouldn't wake up no matter how much we shook and hit him. ''Is he that tired?''

"By the way, do you happen to know what I've been doing today? I don't remember anything between eight in the morning until now. It seems like I was sleeping, though..."

"Eight in the morning? About the time when you came to wake me up?" Towako-san asked back.

"Yes. The last thing I remember doing is having breakfast and trying to bring out the trash."

"Hm... I also got up just now, you see. Can't help you with that."

"You've been asleep for more than twelve hours?"

"Well, that's an all-nighter for you. The day was over by the time I got out of my bed," Towako-san explained as she tilted her head left and right, cracking her shoulders. Apparently, she was still exhausted. Thinking like that, it might not be that strange that we would sleep for so long, either.

''I suppose it's possible to fall asleep for half a day because of exhaustion...?''

"Speaking of which, what are you investigating?" I asked.

"Ah, a few things about that Censer."

She was referring to the Relic Tokiya had brought, which allowed anyone who fell asleep while burning incense with it to control their dreams. He received the censer from a girl in his school who had fallen victim to it and decided to entrust Towako-san with it.

"More importantly, I'm hungry."

"Ah, yes. I'll prepare dinner right away. Just let me tidy away the trash before that..."

Because I'd suddenly fallen asleep, the trash bin was turned over and its contents were scattered about on the floor. I didn't have time to bring out the trash, but I wanted to stuff it into a bag at least.

"Oh, I'll take care of that. Into the kitchen with you!" To my surprise, Towako-san offered to help with the housework for once. I gathered that she was starving, not having eaten anything all day.

"Okay, can I ask you to fill the bag, then?"

"Sure!" she replied as she walked toward the trash bin—

Her face suddenly turned stern.

"Towako-san?"

She ran her finger across the floor and scowled at it.

"What's the matter?" I asked, and noticed on a closer look that her finger was covered with dust. "Should I wipe off the dust?"

"It's ashes."

"Ashes?"

"I remember now. Yesterday, Tokiya threw away the remaining ashes inside the Censer into the trash bin." Towako-san dusted off her finger. "You fell asleep when you were emptying this trash bin, correct?"

"Um, yes."

"Didn't that whirl up some ashes?"

"Now that you mention it..."

I remembered being bothered by the dust that was raised when I moved the contents into the bag. Right after that, I suddenly became sleepy—

"Tokiya! Wake up!" Towako-san yelled as she gave him a shake. However, Tokiya showed no signs of waking up. She proceeded to examining his hands; his fingers were covered by ashes like hers. "Maybe there's some side effect to the ashes of that censer. Keep an eye on Tokiya; I'm looking into the matter," she said and went back upstairs.

I gazed after her. I had to leave this matter to her.

While putting a blanket over Tokiya, I pondered over what I should do after that, since I was well rested. I also felt uncomfortable because I hadn't kept the shop that day.

''Does this mark the start of the Tsukumodo Antique Shop late night opening?''

Suddenly, Tokiya turned over, pushing away the blanket. When I reached out to adjust the blanket for him, he also tried to do the same in his sleep and accidentally grabbed my hand.

I almost pulled my hand back, but I reconsidered.

His hand was bigger than I'd thought; surprisingly hard skin and big fingers made his hand appear very masculine.

I recalled the touch of our intertwined fingers, the weight of his body, his warmth.

Noticing how my face was heating up, I put my hand on my cheek to cool down a bit. Because the feel of Tokiya's hand was still fresh, however, it felt as though ''his'' hand was stroking my cheek.

I immediately shake off those strange thoughts by physically shaking my head.

I had been a bit strange ever since that day—by "that day" I mean the day when Tokiya went to the rescue of that girl who had fallen victim to the censer—ever since Tokiya had done a certain thing to me.

However, in a sense, I also thought that there was nothing strange about that.

It may look like I'm always working on some Relic-related incidents or caring about our sales, but that's not true.

At the end of the day, I'm just a teenager girl.

I do have them, too — those moments when you get conscious of the other sex.
</div>

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

I was lying around alone when I woke up.

Well, I always sleep alone, so that was completely normal. What wasn't quite as normal was the fact that I had been sleeping in the living room at the Tsukumodo Antique Shop.

''Why didn't I sleep at home?'' I thought and tried to trace my memories of the previous day.

''Right!'' When I'd come to work in the evening, I'd come across a shocking scene.

The shop was closed.

While you wouldn't find any customers at any time throughout the year, you could be sure that the Tsukumodo Antique Shop wasn't closed on any day in the week, unless there were special circumstances. And I hadn't heard of any.

I entered the shop through the back door and discovered Saki collapsed on the floor in the living room. Her condition and that of the shop immediately linked in my head.

''Has she been lying there since before the opening time?''

Keeping my blood from running cold with all my might, I rushed into the room and raised her upper body—

Saki was sleeping leisurely; with the usual lack of expression in her face and no sign of pain.

Suddenly, a possible explanation crossed my mind: Towako-san had been investigating the censer I'd brought her the other day; Saki must have been assisting her until late at night.

After I'd let out a deep sigh, I put a blanket over Saki and reluctantly opened the shop.

Before I knew it, it was closing time. Wanting to take my leave, I tried to wake Saki up, but no matter how much I shook and nudged her, she wouldn't open her eyes.

Slowly but surely getting suspicious, I took a look around because I feared that there was a relation to yet another Relic. However, there was nothing special to catch the eye, except maybe for the trash bin which was turned over.

When I grabbed the bin to raise it, I noticed that my hand had gotten dirty. Analyzing the touch and the smell, I found out that it was ashes—the ashes I had thrown away the other day that had been inside the censer.

The censer gave its users absolute control over their dreams, and, more importantly, the incense burnt with it was very sleep-inducing—

I realized that Saki's deep sleep must have been caused by the censer or its ashes.

But that realization had come too late.

I had probably breathed in some when I smelled on the ashes; I was suddenly assaulted by an overwhelming wave of sleepiness I could hardly resist.

During the last moments of consciousness, I had tried to shake Saki awake—

But my thread of consciousness had been cut before I succeeded.

''Most likely, I've been sound asleep after that,'' I thought after ending my flashback.

The clock revealed to me that it was shortly after eight in the morning, which would mean that I had slept for about twelve hours.

"Where's Saki?" I muttered, unable to make out Saki, who had been sleeping here as well.

Wanting to take a look into her room, I went to the stairs, just to run into Towako-san who was coming downstairs carrying an energy drink in one hand.

"Oh, woken up?"

"Towako-san, I was..." She signaled me to stop before I could finish.

"You were charmed to sleep by that censer, no?"

I was an open book to Towako-san, as it seemed.

"Is Saki okay?" I asked.

"I've just taken a look into her room. She's sound asleep."

"All day and night?"

"No, she was awake during the night."

"I see..." Saki had been awake while I was asleep. "Because of the censer, I suppose?"

"To be exact, it's because of the incense burnt with it. Probably some kind of side effect. Give me some more time to find out the details."

"Got it."

"How are you feeling?" Towako-san asked me.

"Normal. In fact, I feel pretty well rested."

"Doesn't surprise me, seeing that you've had a good twelve hours rest. So, what are you going to do?"

"Hm?"

"Classes are starting."

"Shit, I'm late!"

Seems like I had been still half-asleep; cruel reality blew away the cobwebs.

"Drop me a message during each break. Just in case you fall asleep at school."

"Okay, see you!" I replied as I dashed outside. ''Sure got myself into some trouble again'', I thought while I was running to school.

Yes, at the time, I had no idea how severe this incident truly was.

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

<div style="color: #75365A; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
The situation became a bit clearer after a few days.

For one thing, we learned that the ashes of the Censer came with a sleep-inducing side-effect whose sleep could not be interrupted. For another thing, that sleep would always set in at a certain time of the day and last for exactly 12 hours.

In other words, I was asleep from 8 AM until 8 PM and awake from 8 PM until 8 AM. Tokiya, on the other hand, was asleep from 8 PM until 8 AM and awake from 8 AM until 8 PM, meaning that he was asleep just when I was awake and vice versa.

Tokiya could still consider himself happy: He was awake when he had to attend classes and keep the shop. The only real downside he had to deal with was a slightly increased sleep length.

However, I was different. I couldn't work.

I would wake up just when the shop closed and fall asleep when the shop opened its doors. I was upset; I'd even asked Towako-san to provisionally extend the opening time, but in the end, there were no customers at so late an hour.

Of course, I didn't just sit back and do nothing: I tried everything that I could to attract customers nonetheless, starting off by reading "SPECIAL ISSUE: Behind The Scenes - Night Clubs" and "Becoming A Queen Of The Night Made Easy." However, these books were of no use for the Tsukumodo Antique Shop.

To begin with, I wasn't allowed to drink alcohol yet, now was I a queen.

Once, I followed the advice given in "How To Snatch Customers Off The Street At Night" and tried approaching someone on the main street saying "Hey boss, fancy to take a look at one of our hot antiques?" but that person was not an executive. Unfortunately, I don't have the ability to recognize superiors at a glance, and most of all, there were no people that late at night that looked like they would be leading a team.

''Anyway.''

Being unable to serve any customers had left me stressed and made me realize once again that I'd been born for customer service. I hadn't expected that not being able to work would be so agonizing.

''Besides—''

I hadn't met Tokiya for days. Not in an awake state, at least...

''Somehow I don't like this.''

I looked at Tokiya who was lying next to me, sound asleep.
[[Image:Tsukumodo_V3_269.jpg|400px|right]]

We had decided that Tokiya would be staying here for a while because it was dangerous if he suddenly fell asleep at home when he was alone. We weren't absolutely sure of the sleep cycles yet.

''Just bear up with it a little longer, Saki'', I told myself, ''Towako-san is searching for a solution.''

"Hah..." I sighed as I poked his nose with my finger.

''You could at least make an effort to stay awake once in a while!''
</div>

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

The situation became a bit clearer after a few days.

For one thing, we learned that the ashes of the Censer came with a sleep-inducing side-effect whose sleep could not be interrupted. For another thing, that sleep would always set in at a certain time of the day and last for exactly 12 hours.

In other words, I was asleep from 8 PM until 8 AM and awake from 8 AM until 8 PM. Saki, on the other hand, was asleep from 8 AM until 8 PM and awake from 8 PM until 8 AM, meaning that she was asleep just when I was awake and vice versa.

Saki could still consider herself happy: She had a proper excuse to sleep through her shift and was free to do whatever she wanted at night. Well, I didn't know if there was anything she would want to do, though.

However, I was different. I had to go to school ''and'' to work.

Even though I could've called in sick if only my sleep cycle would set in during school, I would always wake up at 8 sharp, which was, to top things off, just in time to barely make it to school somehow. Every morning I had to get up in a hurry and run there at full speed. The evenings weren't any better, since work was calling, leaving me with not a single free minute before getting sleepy. Moreover, I had trouble following my buddies at school when they talked about the TV shows they had watched the day before for obvious reasons.

''Anyway.''

Having no free time for myself had left me stressed and made me realize again how much I loved my liberties. I hadn't expected that spending all time for school, work, and school would be so agonizing.

''Besides—''

I hadn't met Saki for days. Not in an awake state, at least...

''Somehow I don't like this.''

I looked at Saki who was lying next to me, sound asleep.

We had decided that Saki would be sleeping in the living room for a while because it was dangerous if she suddenly fell asleep while using the stairs. We weren't absolutely sure of the sleep cycles yet.

''You won't have to endure this much longer'', I told myself, ''Towako-san is searching for a solution.''

"Hah..." I sighed as I poked Saki's cheeks with my finger.

''Geez, try to stay awake once in a while!''

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

<div style="color: #75365A; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
After long, Towako-san finally discovered a way to break the sleeping spell that lay on us:

"A kiss will do."

That's what she said.

"......"

"......"

"You want me to try to hit him and fail," I said.

"That'd be a ''miss''."

"You want us to become happy."

"You're looking for ''bliss''."

"That language."

"That'd be Swiss."

"Nothing. Just bup—"

"—kis."

"Sounds about right, doesn't it?"

"No, it doesn't. I'm talking about a smooch, a lip smack," Towako-san repeated.

"An illicitly distilled alcoholic liquor, and a watchmaking brand dedicated solely to children."

"Hooch and Flik Flak. You know some quite obscure stuff, don't you? ...I can see that you're flustered, but please stop with those silly jokes. You're not that type of character."

''Yes, it's not typical of me to be so flustered.''

However, there was no way I could keep a cool head after hearing something like that. They may say that I have no feelings or that I don't show them, but the odds are that my confusion did show this specific time.

"Well, the only thing that can awake Snow White from her sleep is the Prince's kiss," Towako-san explained.

"That scene was an addition of the movie and does not exist in the original tale by the Grimm Brothers."

"I don't care. The point is that the same thing happened in the past and was solved that way. So come on, get on with it!"

"Y-You can talk..."

"Hey, it's just a kiss—you're past that stage, aren't you?"

"We're not!"

"Even though you were squeezing each other in my shop the other day?"

"But that's because Tokiya...!" ''Because he suddenly hugged me...''

Towako-san had been teasing me with that for days.

"Well, I guess it's a bit embarrassing if I'm watching, no? I'm waiting over there."

"No, but..."

I looked at Tokiya—at his lips. My eyes were drawn to that one point.

I felt a blush spread over my cheeks.

''That's not typical of me at all.''

Recollecting myself, I raised my head, just to find Towako-san broadly grinning at me.

"I-I'm not going to do it," I declared.

"But the spell won't break if you don't."

"But..."

Towako-san held her hand against her mouth and, with an amused smile resembling that of a child who had just received a new toy, she said: "Well, then you'll just have to wait for Tokiya do it for you."
</div>

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

After long, Towako-san finally discovered a way to break the sleeping spell that lay on us:

"A kiss will do."

That's what she said.

"......"

"......"

"You want me to try to hit her and fail," I said.

"That'd be a ''miss''."

"You want us to become happy."

"You're looking for ''bliss''."

"That language."

"That'd be Swiss."

"Nothing. Just bup—"

"—kis."

"Sounds about right, doesn't it?"

"No, it doesn't. I'm talking about a smooch, a lip smack," Towako-san repeated."

"An illicitly distilled..."

"I've already heard that!"

She beat me, but that didn't help me to cool down. There was no way in hell I could stomach an order like that without getting all flustered, no matter how cool-headed and reasonable I always was.

"Who did you just call reasonable and cool-headed?"

"No remarks on monologues, please," I requested.

"You were speaking aloud."

''Oh, really? See? I'm so shaken that I can't even hold my monologues in!''

"Well, the only thing that can awake Snow White from her sleep is the Prince's kiss," Towako-san explained.

"That was just an addition of the movie, and..."

"I've already hear that as well. Saki-chan did that one."

''Oho! She must have also been quite bamboozled if she really gave the same replies as me!''

"Anyway, there was a case like this in the past and it was solved like that, so go ahead and give it a try. Can't hurt, can it? Come on, get on with it!"

"Y-You can talk..."

"But you two are past your first kiss, aren't you? Saki-chan wouldn't tell me, though."

"We're not!"

"Even though you were squeezing each other in my shop the other day?"

"But that's because Saki...!" ''Because I was shown a dream where she died, so I overreacted a tiny bit when I confirmed that she was safe and sound...''

But Towako-san had been teasing me with that for days.

"Well, I guess it's a bit embarrassing if I'm watching, no? I'm waiting over there."

"No, but..."

I looked at Saki who was sleeping in the living room—at her lips. My eyes were drawn to that one point.

I felt a blush spread over my cheeks.

That's not typical of me at all.

Recollecting myself, I raised my head, just to find Towako-san broadly grinning at me.

"I-I'm not going to do it," I declared.

"But the spell won't break if you don't."

"But..."

Towako-san held her hand against her mouth and, with an amused smile resembling that of a child who had just received a new toy, she said: "Well, time to man up then."

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

<div style="color: #75365A; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
It was 8 PM sharp when I woke up.

Next to me lay a sleeping Tokiya, who must have fallen asleep just now.

That meant that the spell hadn't been broken yet—in other words, that he hadn't kissed me.

I found myself being half-relieved and half-disappointed... R-Relieved because Tokiya didn't turn out to be a frivolous player who would do something like that without hesitating, and d-disappointed not because he didn't kiss me, of course, but because the curse hadn't been broken...!

A-Anyway, it seemed like it wasn't that simple for Tokiya, either. ''He needs time to prepare himself'', I guessed. After all, I had been quite flustered that morning as well, atypical as it was of me.

''But maybe he'll be ready tomorrow.''

''What needs be done on my part? Well... I'll be asleep by then, so I can only sleep normally.''

I tried lying down on my back.

''Yes, lying like this should do the trick...''

''Wait! Doesn't it look like I'm waiting for him when I'm sleeping like this?''

''Indeed. Let's go with a face-down position.''

I turned over onto my belly.

''Wait! Tokiya won't be able to do anything like this.''

''How about making a compromise and sleeping sideways?''

I turned myself 90 degrees.

Tokiya's face was right before my eyes.

I jumped to my feet.

''Wow, that startled me. This isn't good for my heart. I should calm down and give it some more thought later.''

Suddenly feeling exhausted, I let out a deep sigh. And then I noticed something.

''Oh, I haven't brushed my teeth yet. Let's take care of this first, yes!''

I went to the bathroom and started brushing my teeth; the typical "ch-ch-ch" resounded through the room.

"Not that I have bad breath. Yesterday's dinner was mainly vegetables, after all."

Ch-ch-ch.

"Ah, but I added some minced onions to the omelets. I should be fine, though, since I didn't eat them raw..."

Ch-ch-ch.

"N-Now that I think about it, I had some black tea before I went to sleep. A peculiar type, so maybe there's still some of its fragrance left..."

Ch-ch-ch-ch.

"C-Come to think of it, I also had some tea ''after'' brushing my teeth because I became thirsty..."

Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch.

"Hm? Why are you brushing your teeth?" Towako-san suddenly said from behind.

"Uh..."

''Oh, I almost swallowed the toothpaste.''

I finished and turned around to her.

"We didn't even have dinner yet..." Towako-san muttered suspiciously and then flashed a mischievous smile. "Quite the impatient girl, aren't you, Saki-chan? You still have over 11 hours left. Heh, way to go! Make sure to brush them well!"

"T-That's not it..."

"''What's'' not it?"

''S-She's enjoying it. She's totally enjoying this situation.''

Feigning indifference, I asked, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but does it matter who executes the method that you mentioned for lifting the curse?"

"Hm? Well, I guess it doesn't."

"Why don't ''you'' do it, then, Towako-san?"

I thought that was a great idea, if I may say so myself. There was no need that it was Tokiya and me who kissed.

Towako-san put a hand to her chin, and after some thought, she said "I see" as she clapped her hands. "It can be interpreted like that indeed!"

She walked up to me, and gently lifted my chin up, making me face her, while did the exact opposite and ducked my head slightly.

"That's cool with me, I guess, if you insist," she said.

"Eh? Eh? Eh?" Despite being the originator of the idea, I wasn't able to follow.

Towako-san's womanly lips drew nearer and nearer; they were moist and beautiful because she always used a weak lipstick.

''How about me?'' I became worried that my lips were dry. ''It would be embarrassing if he thought I had chapped lips.''

''Ah, didn't Koumoto-san give me a lipstick back then?'' I thought back at the hairdresser I had visited recently. ''But isn't it a bit strange to put on lipstick for sleep? No, it's not, right?''

''Ah! I shouldn't be thinking about this now!''

"Oh, wait!" Towako-san suddenly said, just when I was about to look away, as she pulled her head back.

"What's the matter?" I asked while hiding the relief I was feeling inside. It was such times that I was grateful of my lack of expression.

"I just thought I'd better keep your lips for Tokiya because he may have changed his mind by now. 'Guess I'll only take care of him for the time being."

''Take care of him...? That means that Towako-san is going to...''

"Well, let's strike while the iron's hot, shall we?"

With these words, she walked toward Tokiya, but suddenly she stopped and slowly turned to me.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Well?" She pointed downward.

I followed her finger and noticed that I had grabbed her sleeve without noticing. Completely unwittingly.

"Eh, um, I..." I quickly pulled my hand away as I searched for words.

I had really not intended to do so. My hands had moved on their own.

Towako-san gave a light laugh and concluded, "You should really do it by the two of you."

"Ah, no, I didn't mean to..."

"Wouldn't it save everyone time and costs if the kiss was just between Tokiya and you, Saki-chan?" She patted on my head and left the bathroom.

''Save time and costs? She's right. We are carrying the same curse, so it would be more effective this way. Besides, we can't bother Towako-san with even more work when she has already done all the research for us.''

''I must have already come to that conclusion subconsciously, and that's why my hand held her back.''

''Yes, I'm sure.''
</div>

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

It was 8 AM sharp when I woke up.

Next to me lay a sleeping Saki who must have fallen asleep just now.

That meant that the spell hadn't been broken yet—in other words, that she hadn't kissed me.

I found myself being half-relieved and half-disappointed... R-Relieved that Saki didn't beat me to it, because well, I'm the guy, so I should do it, and d-disappointed because I'd had faint hopes that the curse might be lifted conveniently through some other way...

A-Anyway, I had to seize the initiative. For one thing, it seemed unlikely to me that Saki would... do ''that'', and for another, I felt that this was a task for the guy to do. I felt so... but that's easier said than done.

However, my own misgivings weren't the problem here. I didn't care about myself so much.

I for one didn't have any special ideas on how I wanted to experience my first kiss, nor did I want to save it for ever. ''Yeah, my first! Got a problem?!''

Anyway, I was actually done preparing myself mentally.

The problem was how Saki felt about it.

I didn't think that she was exactly happy, but I wondered if she was willing to swallow the bitter pill; that would've made things easier. What I feared, however, was that she was desperately searching for another way that didn't involve ''that''.

Or perhaps, she preferred to leave the curse as it was over lifting it through that method.

"Ah, dammit! Can't we have a few minutes when we're both awake?!"

''Why are our sleeping cycles precisely 12 hours from another...?''

I started chewing on a gum to calm down a bit, and finally came up with a great—or maybe decent—idea.

"I'll leave her a message."

That was our best bet if we couldn't directly talk with each other.

I took a notepad and a pencil and decided to write her a message. I didn't care that I was going to be late for school.

''Okay, now what to write.''

"I never know how to start this sort of thing. Um... ''Dear Saki, my name is Tokiya Kurusu.'' Okay, I guess I'm officially stupid. Dude, what's the point in writing a full-fledged letter?"

Nom-nom-nom, I chewed on my gum.

"Straight to the point. Hmmm, ''hey, may I kiss you?'' Whoa, this is embarrassing as hell!"

Nom-nom-nom.

"You're missing the point, dude. She knows what I'm going to do well enough."

Nom-nom-nom.

"The main problem is... um, ''are you okay if your first kiss is with me?'' Man, you're a wimp. You're a total wimp, dude!"

Nom-nom-nom.

"Dammit! Nothing feels right... well, of course not! There's not right or wrong to this sort of thing!"

Nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom.

"Oh, Tokiya? Still here?" Towako-san said as she entered the living room, still drowsy with sleep.

"Ugh..."

''Oh, I almost gulped down my chewing gum.''

In a hurry—but while pretending to be as cool as a cucumber—I tossed the pile of memos into the trash bin.

"What're you doing?" she asked, "Hm? You bought some candy? Now that's something. Lemme see. 'Freshens Your Breath', 'For a Good Breath', 'eliminates bad breath after meals', 'Citrus Mint.'" she read aloud the texts on the package, and flashed a mischievous grin. "Lech."

"H-Hey, I didn't buy them to freshen my breath or anything! They help me settle down."

"Why do you need to settle down?"

"Eh..."

"Listen, screw that settling-down stuff and strike the iron while it's hot. Saki-chan's waiting, you know?"

"Mind your own business! I'm going to school!"

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

<div style="color: #75365A; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
It was 8 PM sharp when I woke up.

Next to me lay a sleeping Tokiya who must have fallen asleep just now.

That meant that the spell hadn't been lifted yet—in other words, that he hadn't kissed me yet.

''...so I prepared myself for nothing. Eh, not that I did anything in special; I always sleep face-up, after all, and while I did brush my teeth twice as often and long as usual, that was only a counter-measure against caries!''

''The lip-stick was just against dry lips, too. They have been a little chapped lately.''

''A-Anyway.''

I gave Tokiya a reproachful look.

''Coward...''

These 12-hour cycles were going to continue if he didn't do anything; we wouldn't ever be able to talk with each other again!

''Or is he okay with that...?''

"!" I gasped when suddenly that thought raised a new possibility.

''Yes... perhaps that's true.''

Tokiya could go to school and to work without a problem. The only things that had changed for him were that he could sleep a little bit more and that he couldn't see me when I was awake.

Perhaps, he didn't consider that a problem. Perhaps, he didn't mind a change of that extent. Perhaps—

He would rather keep things as they were than fulfilling the condition needed to lift the curse.

I hadn't thought of such a possibility; I hadn't fathomed that Tokiya might be put off.

"Hey, Tokiya... are you really so loath to do it?"

There was no response.

I was overcome by anxiety—the desire to run away.

At the end of the day, I'm just a teenager girl.

I do have them, too — those moments when you get uneasy because you imagine being disliked.
</div>

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

It was 8 AM sharp when I woke up.

Next to me lay a sleeping Saki who must have fallen asleep just now.

It was about time to settle things.

Before going to sleep, I had decided that I would no longer waver when I next woke up.

I had also asked Shinjou, a classmate of mine, for advice, because—much to my chagrin—he had already had his first kiss with that manager girl. Completely dumbfounded he asked, "What? You haven't kissed yet? Even though you've got such a cute girlfriend?" Saki and I weren't in that kind of relationship, but I didn't want to flinch in front of him.

Basically, my manly pride had accelerated my determination. While that may be a bit rude toward the other party, I didn't care.

It was as Towako-san had said: I just had to strike the iron while it was hot.

I looked around cautiously.

Having Towako-san anywhere nearby was going to brake me, but I had to use my current momentum. Otherwise, I wasn't going to get in motion anytime soon.

"Okay, let's do this!" I said, bracing myself, and leaned over Saki.

Her dreaming face—her calm, defenseless face—was right before my eyes. Even her deadpan look was pretty cute when she was asleep.

While I was gazing her face, my mind was attacked by several stray thoughts. ''I didn't know her eyelashes were so long. She really has silky skin.''

''No no, I gotta concentrate.''

I looked at her delicate, slightly moist, slightly colored lips.

Was that lip-stick...? Against chapped lips, or because she had prepared herself as well?

At any rate, I was absorbed by her unexpectedly fine lips.

"Uh..." I accidentally gulped down, producing an uncomfortably loud gulping sound.

''Hey, I, I don't have any nasty thoughts!''

''This is for the sake of both of us.''

''Yeah, go! Tokiya Kurusu, if you are a man, you shall not hesitate! Go and taste them! Eh, no. Well, but yes.''

''Anyway, go, Tokiya, take a deep breath and get to it!''

I braced my arms that were supporting my body—and noticed that I'd touched something.

It was a memo.

Since it looked like a message from Saki, I picked it up and read it.

''How long are you going to take for something that's no different from mouth-to-mouth resuscitation?''

''What a...''

''What a charmless girl...''

Despite all my worries that I'd fought against for days like a complete moron, wondering if she was okay with someone like me, she didn't seem to care in the least.

No, she considered the source of my worries to be on the same level as mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. She was spitting on the time I had spent worrying, saying that I should hurry up, as if she didn't even care about my feelings.

I moved away from Saki.

I had lost momentum.

No, it had vanished.

Into thin air.

Leaving nothing behind.

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

<div style="color: #75365A; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
It was 8 PM sharp when I woke up.

Next to me... was no one.

"Eh?"

''Could this mean that we...?''

Just when I was about to touch my lips, I noticed that Tokiya was sleeping at the corner. Without a blanket and turned toward the wall.

''Why is that...?''

Tokiya should have been awake if the curse had been lifted. If, on the other hand, the curse was still intact, I didn't see why he would sleep so far from me. Of course, there was no reason for us to sleep in the same futon either, but we had only one down here and we wouldn't be sleeping there at the same time anyway. Until now, Tokiya had always been right beside me when I woke up.

Just by sleeping separately and turned away from each other, I felt somehow rejected—

Suddenly, my hand bumped against something. It was the message I had written to Tokiya when I was getting anxious.

The piece of paper was crumpled as though it had been scrunched up. Perhaps, I had accidentally rolled on it while sleeping.

After some fiddling, I managed to unfold the memo, and found my message as well as an additional line with Tokiya's handwriting and his words.

''If it means so little to you, then do it yourself!''

''...So he was loath to do it, after all.''

Turning his back to me was a sign of clear, unmistakable rejection.

The only reason why he was still sleeping in the same room despite that was probably to have me put an end to this already. He could still make excuses if the one actually doing it was me.

At any rate, he must absolutely hate to do it himself. So much that he couldn't even do it when thinking of it as mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.''

''Why am I adding ''probablies'' and ''musts''?''

''He '''does''' hate to do it.''

I had had a faint feeling that Tokiya was interested in me, but I was wrong. Perhaps, there was already a girl on his mind even.

However, I was sure that wasn't me.

It might be wrong to think like this, since we weren't in a relationship or anything, but I just, I just wanted him to show maybe not affection, but at least that he didn't hate me. Not that I got my hopes up; I just wanted him to be a tiny bit attracted to me.

However, Tokiya didn't want to. So much that he couldn't even think of it as rescue breathing. So much that he had to push the task upon me.

He could hardly bear it if I was his partner.

''But then—''

''Why did you embrace me like that?!''

Because of that, I had been strangely aware of Tokiya the past few days. He hadn't even given me a proper explanation.

It was no coincidence. He did not stumble.

He hugged me closely and strongly, so that I could hardly breathe.

But maybe that had nothing to do with that kind of feeling. Maybe I was alone with thinking about him all the time.

Perhaps, it had been nothing special to Tokiya.

''I feel like an idiot.''

I tossed the memo I had crumpled up again at the trash bin. Instead of falling into it, however, the bin fell over and distributed its contents on the floor.

''Even this won't go smoothly.''

In order to bring out the trash, I stood up and started to collect the spilled contents as if to collect myself and recover from the ruffled emotions. There were lots of bubble gum wrappers and packages and scraps of paper. I noticed that I hadn't regularly brought out the trash ever since this started.

''Let's get this over with already.''

''Is Towako-san awake? Once I'm done here, I'll ask her to do what must be done Tokiya and me and be done with it.''

''Maybe I should just use that Censer and get the real thing?''

With such silly thoughts I picked up another memo sheet. ''One of the many I have written and scrapped'', I figured. I had composed a whole lot of them while I was racking my brains about what I should write.

''Tokiya is going to bothered if he sees this; I'll pick those out and burn them for good.''

''Dear Saki, my name is Tokiya Kurusu—''

"Huh?"

I didn't recognize the message written on the memo.

''It's not one of mine...?''

I carefully smoothed the crumpled sheet. Though hard to read, it was Tokiya's handwriting; he had written this memo.

I tried taking a look at the other crumpled sheets.

''Hey, may I kiss you?''

''Are you okay if your first kiss is with me?''

''Won't you regret it?''

''If you'd rather not, I'm absolutely okay with that!''

I found countless of these messages. Written, crumpled, discarded. Written, crumpled, discarded.

I could clearly picture his uncertainty to myself.

I could clearly see how much he had thought about me, how much he had worried about me, and how much he had brooded over this matter.

I could clearly understand why he couldn't just think of it as mouth-to-mouth resuscitation—because of me.

I almost had to laugh. No one else but ''Saki Maino'' almost had to laugh.

"You're such a silly."

I walked to where Tokiya was sleeping, facing the wall without even putting a blanket over himself.

Earlier, he had frightened me because he looked like he was rejecting me, but now he looked cute, like a sulking boy.

I covered him with a blanket and gently put a newly written memo into his hand.

"Hey, Tokiya..." I whispered softly at his ear, not caring that he couldn't hear me.
</div>

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

It was 5 PM I had come back from school and was looking down at a sleeping Saki.

That morning, Saki hadn't been beside me when I woke up. For a moment there I got my hopes up, but I quickly noticed her sleeping in the middle of the room, face-up; It was me who had been sleeping elsewhere and who had the blanket.

The curse had not been lifted.

Apparently, Saki was bent on pushing the job upon me, but I had not the slightest intention to do as she wanted.

I was thinking to leave it to Towako-san, who, however, seemed to be absent at the present time. She wasn't there in the morning, either. ''Jeez, she'd better not be doing it on purpose.''

Anyway, I had no choice but to wait for her return while praying that that would be before 8 PM. I didn't want to stay like this forever.

I looked at Saki's face.

It was the same carefree, expressionless face like always.

I would have loved to share even just a fraction of my worries with her. That being said, she would probably maintain her deadpan face, and reply something like, "What? You've been thinking about ''that''?"

"If it's so simple for you, why won't ''you''..." I started making complaints she couldn't hear anyway, when I suddenly discovered a memo where I had been sleeping this morning.

''The one I left next to her pillow yesterday...?''

I had written something along the lines of "''If it means so little to you, then do it yourself!''"

''Does that mean that she didn't read it, if it's lying around there? Or did she read it and then throw it away?''

I picked up the—to my surprise—neatly folded memo.

''Didn't I crumple it when I placed it next to Saki...?''

I unfolded the sheet of paper and looked at it.

"What..."

It was a letter from Saki.

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

<div style="color: #75365A; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
I woke up.

Next to me—was no one.

Tokiya was already within my field of vision when I woke up.

"Finally woken up? I was really getting worried because you wouldn't wake up for two hours!" he explained as he let out a deep sigh of relief. "Well, but looks like the curse is gone now."
[[Image:Tsukumodo_V3_304.jpg|400px|right]]

He showed me the time; it was 7 PM. One hour before I would usually wake up.

"If I'm not asleep in an hour, then that's over and done with, no?" he smiled at me.

The fact that I was awake at this time meant that the curse had been lifted, which in turn meant that ''that certain act'' had been conducted, and the fact that Tokiya was standing there was speaking for itself...

So was the fact that I still felt a slightly tickling sensation on my lips...

"Saki." Tokiya was looking at me with a serious expression.

"I-It's fine. Don't mind it. It's really just like rescue breathing. Ah, no, it's not like I'm thinking of it like that. Just, how should I put it... um, I am, yes, happy that you were..."

"Meow~"

"That you were... huh? Meow?"

An unfamiliar sound called me back to reality. A cat poked its head out on Tokiya's arms. It was Mii, Asami-chan's pet.

But what was Mii doing here?

"Ah, um, listen. A lot happened, you know, but to cut right to the chase..."

"Yes?"

"This little guy has lifted our curse."

"What?"

"Well... looks like even a fellow like this can lift that curse, eh?"

I looked at Mii in his arms. It innocently licked its lips as if to give its thanks for the feast.

The following day, I got up at 8 AM and disposed of the trash. It was quite a lot of work because the garbage had piled up over the past few days, but I was delighted to be able to work and get up at this time.

Shortly, I would be able to make my long-awaited comeback to the world of customer service.

I was excited. ''Yes, I am excited! Like never before! Truly.''

In the end, Tokiya also had Mii lift his curse and went home after confirming that he didn't fall asleep at 8 PM. We had made sure to pack the ashes tightly up when throwing them into the trash, so that nothing would leak.

''What a troublesome pile of ashes. Really, this can't be said enough.''

"Ah, Saki-chaan!" someone called my name.

It was Asami-chan, one of my few friends and the owner of Mii.

"Did Mii behave well?" she asked.

"...Quite so."

"S-Saki-chan? Are you angry?"

''Oh no, I became rattled for a moment.''

"No, I'm not. But that aside: you're quite early today, what's the matter?"

"I'm here to fetch Mii."

"Oh, I would have brought Mii to you..."

Tokiya had told me to return Mii to Asami-chan in the morning. I had been planning to go as soon as I'd taken care of the garbage and prepared breakfast.

"But I was missing Mii."

"Let's head back together then." I proposed.

"Mm," she nodded in response.

We joined our hands and walked back to the Tsukumodo Antique Shop. On the way, Asami-chan pursed her small lips and complained, "Onii-chan was a total meanie yesterday!"

She was referring to Tokiya by ''Onii-chan''.

"He suddenly turned up in the evening and said he wanted to borrow Mii. He didn't even tell me why!"

Apparently, Asami-chan hadn't given Mii away willingly, which made perfect sense, since animals are not something to trade with. Tokiya must have been quite pushy to get Mii because he couldn't just explain the situation to her.

"You must always give a reason when you ask someone to lend you something!" Asami-chan said.

"You're right. I'll be sure to tell him."

I was amused to see her act so maturely.

"And I'll have to give him some more minus points for coming in the middle of dinner," she added.

"Oh, you were having dinner? That's quite early, isn't it?"

Tokiya must have gone to borrow Mii around 5 PM.

"Hm? I think it's normal. We always eat around that time."

"Right after you come home from school?" I asked.

"No, not really! School is already over at 5."

"Yes, but didn't you have dinner around that time?"

"If dinner was that early, I would get hungry at night! We always have it around 6."

"6? That's also when Tokiya came to borrow Mii?"

"Yeah."

''What's the meaning of this?''

''I mean, I woke up at 7 PM. That means that Tokiya can't have borrowed Mii at 6 PM.''

''After all...''

''After all...''

''Tokiya said:''

''I was really getting worried because you wouldn't wake up for two hours!''

Unless he had told me a lie, that would mean that the curse was lifted at 5 PM. But Tokiya borrowed Mii at 6 PM when Asami-chan was having dinner with her family.

''If that's true, Mii wasn't around at 5 PM, right?''

''What's the meaning of this?''

''Did he make a slip of the tongue? Or did Asami-chan's memory fail her?''

''Or—''

"Saki-chan, now you look happy somehow!"

"It's nothing."

Without even noticing, I touched my lips.
</div>

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

''Phew, looks like this matter has finally been settled. What a troublesome curse. Really.''

I had already seen my share of Relics, but none had exhausted me that much. I sure didn't want to experience that ever again.

Finally, I was back at Home, Sweet Home. My cheap apartment. My castle.

Lying on the floor, I put my hand into my pocket and took out a memo along with the rattling of paper.

It was the memo Saki had addressed to me.

I felt mortally embarrassed whenever I read it.

That girl had read the drafts I had thrown away!

''Dammit! I look totally stupid!''

It was sort of a reply to the unsightly fight I'd had with myself. While it did put an end to the conflict, it also threw up new worries.

It made me feel even worse for doing it in such an ambiguous and hidden manner while she was asleep!

After agonizing over it for an eternity, I had finally come up with the idea of using Mii.

''Leaving aside Mii for now—with the intention to apologize on another occasion—it looks like she completely bought it. That's one thing off my shoulders.''

I looked at her memo again. It was Saki's answer.

''Who else is there better?''

''That's way too cute for you...''

''When told something like that, even someone like me will...''

''Lose his self-control for a moment.''

<references />

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| Back to [[Tsukumodo:Volume 3 Dream|Dream]]
| Return to [[Tsukumodo Antique Shop|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Tsukumodo:Volume 3 Afterword|Afterword]]
|-
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</noinclude>

Tsukumodo:Volume 3 Sleeping Beauty

2015-03-25T21:30:48Z

Chocolatkey:

At the end of the day, I'm just a high school student.

It may look like I'm always working on some Relic-related incidents, but that's not true.

I do read manga and I do play video games just like anyone else, although I hardly ever buy any because I'm broke. And of course, I hang around with my friend after school when I'm not on shift, and I engage in silly chats during breaks. I'm happy when I get a good mark, and I'm depressed when I get a bad one. Not only do I join my buddies to some karaoke occasionally, I've also played billiards and dartd and whatnot with them. And while I haven't had the opportunity yet, I'm also interested in skiing and snowboarding.

I could go on like that, but the point is that I do the same things and have the same interests as any high school student.

Anyway, what I'm really getting at here is... well, I'm not generally uninterested in, um, romance.

So it shouldn't be surprising that I would be a bit sensitive to this kind of thing, right?

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

<div style="color: #75365A; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
When I woke up, I realized that Tokiya had pushed me down.

No, "pushed down" might be an inaccurate expression, because I must have already been asleep and lying by the time it happened.

In that case, what should I label this situation?

His right cheek was softly pressed against mine, his left hand placed on my right, his right leg between my legs, and his body was on mine.

Should I say that he was holding me down? Let's make another quick check...

His right cheek was softly pressed against mine, his left hand placed on my right, his right leg between my legs, and his body was on mine.

Yes, "to hold down" should fit quite nicely. ''But wait'', I thought. He wasn't moving.

"Tokiya?" I called his name, but there was no response. He seemed to be sleeping and was breathing calmly.

Someone who's asleep can hardly hold you down, so this expression might be inaccurate as well. But what should I call this, then? Our bodies were entwined?

Something still feels off. Wasn't there a simple and straightforward expression for this kind of situation? For example—

We were cuddling.

"Cudd...!" I uttered unwittingly in surprise at my own thoughts.

Tokiya and I were cuddl... no, our bodies were entwi... no, he was holding me dow... anyway, we were in that specific situation.
[[Image:Tsukumodo_V3_252.jpg|400px|right]]

At 08:00 in the evening, in the living room, alone.

''At 08:00 in the evening...?''

I looked at the clock once again, but the display did read "PM" indeed.

The fact that Tokiya and I were cuddl... no, our bodies were entwi... no, he was holding me dow... anyway, the fact that we were in that specific situation confused me a lot already, but the time was just as startling.

I couldn't remember taking an afternoon nap.

I wondered if I had passed out, but I was unable to confirm that; there was a gap in my memory. Calming myself down, I started tracing my memory.

I had stood up in the morning, changed into my clothes and prepared breakfast. After that, I went to wake up Towako-san, but I was told not to because her latest investigations had reversed her circadian rhythm, which is why I then had breakfast alone. And then...

Right. I noticed that the trash bin was full. Therefore, I filled the trash into a bag.

That's where my memory cut off.

I had been taking breakfast, so it should have been about 08:00 AM.

I looked once more at the clock. It was eight o'clock in the evening. I managed to move my head—I accidentally rubbed my cheek against Tokiya's when I did so, but I tried not to think about it—and took a look out of the window. As expected, it was dark outside; this eliminated the possibility of the clock displaying the wrong time period.

Had I fallen asleep while putting the trash out? Twelve hours even?

''This is weird. What's going on...?''

I couldn't believe that I had fallen asleep while I was filling a trash bag. Something must have happened then—

"Mhn!" A strange utter escaped my lips as Tokiya's tickling breath found its way into my ear. I hurriedly closed my mouth.

''I hope he didn't hear that.''

Now that I thought about it, Tokiya and I were cuddl... no, our bodies were entwi... no, he was holding me dow... anyway, we were in that specific situation. On top of that, Tokiya had already been asleep when I'd woken up.

In other words, we had been sleeping together like this.

''...But how and why did we end up in this position?''

Suddenly, my awareness of the situation jumped up. Not as words, but by feeling his touch and his warmth, I grew aware that his face, his hand, and his body were pressed against mine.

"A-At any rate, I should wake him up."

I tried to push him away from below, but he turned out to be heavier than expected. That reminded me that I'd once read somewhere that sleeping kids were heavy.

Because his position had changed in the process, however, Tokiya started to shift about and, even worse, intertwined the fingers of his right hand with those of my left hand.

It was as though we were holding hands.

"T-Tokiya."

I didn't care about why I had been asleep for twelve hours anymore; this situation was far more urgent.

''Anyways, I have to push him away.''

However, neither did Tokiya move away, nor could I move him away.

''Please, Towako-san, come down here.'' The moment I thought so, my savior came down the stairs.

"Saki-chaaan, I'm hungry! Is dinner ready?"

"Ah, Towako-san, you've come just at the right moment..." I said, asking for help with my problem—

"Sorry for disturbing!"

But my request was ignored; Towako-san made an about-turn and went back up the stairs.

''Huh? Why would she just go away? Huh? Disturbing? What did she mean by "disturbing"?''

For once, I shouted at the top of my lungs: "Y-You, you've got the wrong idea!"

After I had somehow managed to stop her, I explained the situation to her and had her move Tokiya away.

"What should I say—that was a surprise! Sure didn't expect to find you two making love!"

"That's a misunderstanding."

She had clearly used a false expression.

I moved my gaze from Towako-san to Tokiya. He was still asleep and wouldn't wake up no matter how much we shook and hit him. ''Is he that tired?''

"By the way, do you happen to know what I've been doing today? I don't remember anything between eight in the morning until now. It seems like I was sleeping, though..."

"Eight in the morning? About the time when you came to wake me up?" Towako-san asked back.

"Yes. The last thing I remember doing is having breakfast and trying to bring out the trash."

"Hm... I also got up just now, you see. Can't help you with that."

"You've been asleep for more than twelve hours?"

"Well, that's an all-nighter for you. The day was over by the time I got out of my bed," Towako-san explained as she tilted her head left and right, cracking her shoulders. Apparently, she was still exhausted. Thinking like that, it might not be that strange that we would sleep for so long, either.

''I suppose it's possible to fall asleep for half a day because of exhaustion...?''

"Speaking of which, what are you investigating?" I asked.

"Ah, a few things about that Censer."

She was referring to the Relic Tokiya had brought, which allowed anyone who fell asleep while burning incense with it to control their dreams. He received the censer from a girl in his school who had fallen victim to it and decided to entrust Towako-san with it.

"More importantly, I'm hungry."

"Ah, yes. I'll prepare dinner right away. Just let me tidy away the trash before that..."

Because I'd suddenly fallen asleep, the trash bin was turned over and its contents were scattered about on the floor. I didn't have time to bring out the trash, but I wanted to stuff it into a bag at least.

"Oh, I'll take care of that. Into the kitchen with you!" To my surprise, Towako-san offered to help with the housework for once. I gathered that she was starving, not having eaten anything all day.

"Okay, can I ask you to fill the bag, then?"

"Sure!" she replied as she walked toward the trash bin—

Her face suddenly turned stern.

"Towako-san?"

She ran her finger across the floor and scowled at it.

"What's the matter?" I asked, and noticed on a closer look that her finger was covered with dust. "Should I wipe off the dust?"

"It's ashes."

"Ashes?"

"I remember now. Yesterday, Tokiya threw away the remaining ashes inside the Censer into the trash bin." Towako-san dusted off her finger. "You fell asleep when you were emptying this trash bin, correct?"

"Um, yes."

"Didn't that whirl up some ashes?"

"Now that you mention it..."

I remembered being bothered by the dust that was raised when I moved the contents into the bag. Right after that, I suddenly became sleepy—

"Tokiya! Wake up!" Towako-san yelled as she gave him a shake. However, Tokiya showed no signs of waking up. She proceeded to examining his hands; his fingers were covered by ashes like hers. "Maybe there's some side effect to the ashes of that censer. Keep an eye on Tokiya; I'm looking into the matter," she said and went back upstairs.

I gazed after her. I had to leave this matter to her.

While putting a blanket over Tokiya, I pondered over what I should do after that, since I was well rested. I also felt uncomfortable because I hadn't kept the shop that day.

''Does this mark the start of the Tsukumodo Antique Shop late night opening?''

Suddenly, Tokiya turned over, pushing away the blanket. When I reached out to adjust the blanket for him, he also tried to do the same in his sleep and accidentally grabbed my hand.

I almost pulled my hand back, but I reconsidered.

His hand was bigger than I'd thought; surprisingly hard skin and big fingers made his hand appear very masculine.

I recalled the touch of our intertwined fingers, the weight of his body, his warmth.

Noticing how my face was heating up, I put my hand on my cheek to cool down a bit. Because the feel of Tokiya's hand was still fresh, however, it felt as though ''his'' hand was stroking my cheek.

I immediately shake off those strange thoughts by physically shaking my head.

I had been a bit strange ever since that day—by "that day" I mean the day when Tokiya went to the rescue of that girl who had fallen victim to the censer—ever since Tokiya had done a certain thing to me.

However, in a sense, I also thought that there was nothing strange about that.

It may look like I'm always working on some Relic-related incidents or caring about our sales, but that's not true.

At the end of the day, I'm just a teenager girl.

I do have them, too — those moments when you get conscious of the other sex.
</div>

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

I was lying around alone when I woke up.

Well, I always sleep alone, so that was completely normal. What wasn't quite as normal was the fact that I had been sleeping in the living room at the Tsukumodo Antique Shop.

''Why didn't I sleep at home?'' I thought and tried to trace my memories of the previous day.

''Right!'' When I'd come to work in the evening, I'd come across a shocking scene.

The shop was closed.

While you wouldn't find any customers at any time throughout the year, you could be sure that the Tsukumodo Antique Shop wasn't closed on any day in the week, unless there were special circumstances. And I hadn't heard of any.

I entered the shop through the back door and discovered Saki collapsed on the floor in the living room. Her condition and that of the shop immediately linked in my head.

''Has she been lying there since before the opening time?''

Keeping my blood from running cold with all my might, I rushed into the room and raised her upper body—

Saki was sleeping leisurely; with the usual lack of expression in her face and no sign of pain.

Suddenly, a possible explanation crossed my mind: Towako-san had been investigating the censer I'd brought her the other day; Saki must have been assisting her until late at night.

After I'd let out a deep sigh, I put a blanket over Saki and reluctantly opened the shop.

Before I knew it, it was closing time. Wanting to take my leave, I tried to wake Saki up, but no matter how much I shook and nudged her, she wouldn't open her eyes.

Slowly but surely getting suspicious, I took a look around because I feared that there was a relation to yet another Relic. However, there was nothing special to catch the eye, except maybe for the trash bin which was turned over.

When I grabbed the bin to raise it, I noticed that my hand had gotten dirty. Analyzing the touch and the smell, I found out that it was ashes—the ashes I had thrown away the other day that had been inside the censer.

The censer gave its users absolute control over their dreams, and, more importantly, the incense burnt with it was very sleep-inducing—

I realized that Saki's deep sleep must have been caused by the censer or its ashes.

But that realization had come too late.

I had probably breathed in some when I smelled on the ashes; I was suddenly assaulted by an overwhelming wave of sleepiness I could hardly resist.

During the last moments of consciousness, I had tried to shake Saki awake—

But my thread of consciousness had been cut before I succeeded.

''Most likely, I've been sound asleep after that,'' I thought after ending my flashback.

The clock revealed to me that it was shortly after eight in the morning, which would mean that I had slept for about twelve hours.

"Where's Saki?" I muttered, unable to make out Saki, who had been sleeping here as well.

Wanting to take a look into her room, I went to the stairs, just to run into Towako-san who was coming downstairs carrying an energy drink in one hand.

"Oh, woken up?"

"Towako-san, I was..." She signaled me to stop before I could finish.

"You were charmed to sleep by that censer, no?"

I was an open book to Towako-san, as it seemed.

"Is Saki okay?" I asked.

"I've just taken a look into her room. She's sound asleep."

"All day and night?"

"No, she was awake during the night."

"I see..." Saki had been awake while I was asleep. "Because of the censer, I suppose?"

"To be exact, it's because of the incense burnt with it. Probably some kind of side effect. Give me some more time to find out the details."

"Got it."

"How are you feeling?" Towako-san asked me.

"Normal. In fact, I feel pretty well rested."

"Doesn't surprise me, seeing that you've had a good twelve hours rest. So, what are you going to do?"

"Hm?"

"Classes are starting."

"Shit, I'm late!"

Seems like I had been still half-asleep; cruel reality blew away the cobwebs.

"Drop me a message during each break. Just in case you fall asleep at school."

"Okay, see you!" I replied as I dashed outside. ''Sure got myself into some trouble again'', I thought while I was running to school.

Yes, at the time, I had no idea how severe this incident truly was.

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

<div style="color: #75365A; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
The situation became a bit clearer after a few days.

For one thing, we learned that the ashes of the Censer came with a sleep-inducing side-effect whose sleep could not be interrupted. For another thing, that sleep would always set in at a certain time of the day and last for exactly 12 hours.

In other words, I was asleep from 8 AM until 8 PM and awake from 8 PM until 8 AM. Tokiya, on the other hand, was asleep from 8 PM until 8 AM and awake from 8 AM until 8 PM, meaning that he was asleep just when I was awake and vice versa.

Tokiya could still consider himself happy: He was awake when he had to attend classes and keep the shop. The only real downside he had to deal with was a slightly increased sleep length.

However, I was different. I couldn't work.

I would wake up just when the shop closed and fall asleep when the shop opened its doors. I was upset; I'd even asked Towako-san to provisionally extend the opening time, but in the end, there were no customers at so late an hour.

Of course, I didn't just sit back and do nothing: I tried everything that I could to attract customers nonetheless, starting off by reading "SPECIAL ISSUE: Behind The Scenes - Night Clubs" and "Becoming A Queen Of The Night Made Easy." However, these books were of no use for the Tsukumodo Antique Shop.

To begin with, I wasn't allowed to drink alcohol yet, now was I a queen.

Once, I followed the advice given in "How To Snatch Customers Off The Street At Night" and tried approaching someone on the main street saying "Hey boss, fancy to take a look at one of our hot antiques?" but that person was not an executive. Unfortunately, I don't have the ability to recognize superiors at a glance, and most of all, there were no people that late at night that looked like they would be leading a team.

''Anyway.''

Being unable to serve any customers had left me stressed and made me realize once again that I'd been born for customer service. I hadn't expected that not being able to work would be so agonizing.

''Besides—''

I hadn't met Tokiya for days. Not in an awake state, at least...

''Somehow I don't like this.''

I looked at Tokiya who was lying next to me, sound asleep.
[[Image:Tsukumodo_V3_269.jpg|400px|right]]

We had decided that Tokiya would be staying here for a while because it was dangerous if he suddenly fell asleep at home when he was alone. We weren't absolutely sure of the sleep cycles yet.

''Just bear up with it a little longer, Saki'', I told myself, ''Towako-san is searching for a solution.''

"Hah..." I sighed as I poked his nose with my finger.

''You could at least make an effort to stay awake once in a while!''
</div>

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

The situation became a bit clearer after a few days.

For one thing, we learned that the ashes of the Censer came with a sleep-inducing side-effect whose sleep could not be interrupted. For another thing, that sleep would always set in at a certain time of the day and last for exactly 12 hours.

In other words, I was asleep from 8 PM until 8 AM and awake from 8 AM until 8 PM. Saki, on the other hand, was asleep from 8 AM until 8 PM and awake from 8 PM until 8 AM, meaning that she was asleep just when I was awake and vice versa.

Saki could still consider herself happy: She had a proper excuse to sleep through her shift and was free to do whatever she wanted at night. Well, I didn't know if there was anything she would want to do, though.

However, I was different. I had to go to school ''and'' to work.

Even though I could've called in sick if only my sleep cycle would set in during school, I would always wake up at 8 sharp, which was, to top things off, just in time to barely make it to school somehow. Every morning I had to get up in a hurry and run there at full speed. The evenings weren't any better, since work was calling, leaving me with not a single free minute before getting sleepy. Moreover, I had trouble following my buddies at school when they talked about the TV shows they had watched the day before for obvious reasons.

''Anyway.''

Having no free time for myself had left me stressed and made me realize again how much I loved my liberties. I hadn't expected that spending all time for school, work, and school would be so agonizing.

''Besides—''

I hadn't met Saki for days. Not in an awake state, at least...

''Somehow I don't like this.''

I looked at Saki who was lying next to me, sound asleep.

We had decided that Saki would be sleeping in the living room for a while because it was dangerous if she suddenly fell asleep while using the stairs. We weren't absolutely sure of the sleep cycles yet.

''You won't have to endure this much longer'', I told myself, ''Towako-san is searching for a solution.''

"Hah..." I sighed as I poked Saki's cheeks with my finger.

''Geez, try to stay awake once in a while!''

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

<div style="color: #75365A; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
After long, Towako-san finally discovered a way to break the sleeping spell that lay on us:

"A kiss will do."

That's what she said.

"......"

"......"

"You want me to try to hit him and fail," I said.

"That'd be a ''miss''."

"You want us to become happy."

"You're looking for ''bliss''."

"That language."

"That'd be Swiss."

"Nothing. Just bup—"

"—kis."

"Sounds about right, doesn't it?"

"No, it doesn't. I'm talking about a smooch, a lip smack," Towako-san repeated.

"An illicitly distilled alcoholic liquor, and a watchmaking brand dedicated solely to children."

"Hooch and Flik Flak. You know some quite obscure stuff, don't you? ...I can see that you're flustered, but please stop with those silly jokes. You're not that type of character."

''Yes, it's not typical of me to be so flustered.''

However, there was no way I could keep a cool head after hearing something like that. They may say that I have no feelings or that I don't show them, but the odds are that my confusion did show this specific time.

"Well, the only thing that can awake Snow White from her sleep is the Prince's kiss," Towako-san explained.

"That scene was an addition of the movie and does not exist in the original tale by the Grimm Brothers."

"I don't care. The point is that the same thing happened in the past and was solved that way. So come on, get on with it!"

"Y-You can talk..."

"Hey, it's just a kiss—you're past that stage, aren't you?"

"We're not!"

"Even though you were squeezing each other in my shop the other day?"

"But that's because Tokiya...!" ''Because he suddenly hugged me...''

Towako-san had been teasing me with that for days.

"Well, I guess it's a bit embarrassing if I'm watching, no? I'm waiting over there."

"No, but..."

I looked at Tokiya—at his lips. My eyes were drawn to that one point.

I felt a blush spread over my cheeks.

''That's not typical of me at all.''

Recollecting myself, I raised my head, just to find Towako-san broadly grinning at me.

"I-I'm not going to do it," I declared.

"But the spell won't break if you don't."

"But..."

Towako-san held her hand against her mouth and, with an amused smile resembling that of a child who had just received a new toy, she said: "Well, then you'll just have to wait for Tokiya do it for you."
</div>

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

After long, Towako-san finally discovered a way to break the sleeping spell that lay on us:

"A kiss will do."

That's what she said.

"......"

"......"

"You want me to try to hit her and fail," I said.

"That'd be a ''miss''."

"You want us to become happy."

"You're looking for ''bliss''."

"That language."

"That'd be Swiss."

"Nothing. Just bup—"

"—kis."

"Sounds about right, doesn't it?"

"No, it doesn't. I'm talking about a smooch, a lip smack," Towako-san repeated."

"An illicitly distilled..."

"I've already heard that!"

She beat me, but that didn't help me to cool down. There was no way in hell I could stomach an order like that without getting all flustered, no matter how cool-headed and reasonable I always was.

"Who did you just call reasonable and cool-headed?"

"No remarks on monologues, please," I requested.

"You were speaking aloud."

''Oh, really? See? I'm so shaken that I can't even hold my monologues in!''

"Well, the only thing that can awake Snow White from her sleep is the Prince's kiss," Towako-san explained.

"That was just an addition of the movie, and..."

"I've already hear that as well. Saki-chan did that one."

''Oho! She must have also been quite bamboozled if she really gave the same replies as me!''

"Anyway, there was a case like this in the past and it was solved like that, so go ahead and give it a try. Can't hurt, can it? Come on, get on with it!"

"Y-You can talk..."

"But you two are past your first kiss, aren't you? Saki-chan wouldn't tell me, though."

"We're not!"

"Even though you were squeezing each other in my shop the other day?"

"But that's because Saki...!" ''Because I was shown a dream where she died, so I overreacted a tiny bit when I confirmed that she was safe and sound...''

But Towako-san had been teasing me with that for days.

"Well, I guess it's a bit embarrassing if I'm watching, no? I'm waiting over there."

"No, but..."

I looked at Saki who was sleeping in the living room—at her lips. My eyes were drawn to that one point.

I felt a blush spread over my cheeks.

That's not typical of me at all.

Recollecting myself, I raised my head, just to find Towako-san broadly grinning at me.

"I-I'm not going to do it," I declared.

"But the spell won't break if you don't."

"But..."

Towako-san held her hand against her mouth and, with an amused smile resembling that of a child who had just received a new toy, she said: "Well, time to man up then."

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

<div style="color: #75365A; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
It was 8 PM sharp when I woke up.

Next to me lay a sleeping Tokiya, who must have fallen asleep just now.

That meant that the spell hadn't been broken yet—in other words, that he hadn't kissed me.

I found myself being half-relieved and half-disappointed... R-Relieved because Tokiya didn't turn out to be a frivolous player who would do something like that without hesitating, and d-disappointed not because he didn't kiss me, of course, but because the curse hadn't been broken...!

A-Anyway, it seemed like it wasn't that simple for Tokiya, either. ''He needs time to prepare himself'', I guessed. After all, I had been quite flustered that morning as well, atypical as it was of me.

''But maybe he'll be ready tomorrow.''

''What needs be done on my part? Well... I'll be asleep by then, so I can only sleep normally.''

I tried lying down on my back.

''Yes, lying like this should do the trick...''

''Wait! Doesn't it look like I'm waiting for him when I'm sleeping like this?''

''Indeed. Let's go with a face-down position.''

I turned over onto my belly.

''Wait! Tokiya won't be able to do anything like this.''

''How about making a compromise and sleeping sideways?''

I turned myself 90 degrees.

Tokiya's face was right before my eyes.

I jumped to my feet.

''Wow, that startled me. This isn't good for my heart. I should calm down and give it some more thought later.''

Suddenly feeling exhausted, I let out a deep sigh. And then I noticed something.

''Oh, I haven't brushed my teeth yet. Let's take care of this first, yes!''

I went to the bathroom and started brushing my teeth; the typical "ch-ch-ch" resounded through the room.

"Not that I have bad breath. Yesterday's dinner was mainly vegetables, after all."

Ch-ch-ch.

"Ah, but I added some minced onions to the omelets. I should be fine, though, since I didn't eat them raw..."

Ch-ch-ch.

"N-Now that I think about it, I had some black tea before I went to sleep. A peculiar type, so maybe there's still some of its fragrance left..."

Ch-ch-ch-ch.

"C-Come to think of it, I also had some tea ''after'' brushing my teeth because I became thirsty..."

Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch.

"Hm? Why are you brushing your teeth?" Towako-san suddenly said from behind.

"Uh..."

''Oh, I almost swallowed the toothpaste.''

I finished and turned around to her.

"We didn't even have dinner yet..." Towako-san muttered suspiciously and then flashed a mischievous smile. "Quite the impatient girl, aren't you, Saki-chan? You still have over 11 hours left. Heh, way to go! Make sure to brush them well!"

"T-That's not it..."

"''What's'' not it?"

''S-She's enjoying it. She's totally enjoying this situation.''

Feigning indifference, I asked, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but does it matter who executes the method that you mentioned for lifting the curse?"

"Hm? Well, I guess it doesn't."

"Why don't ''you'' do it, then, Towako-san?"

I thought that was a great idea, if I may say so myself. There was no need that it was Tokiya and me who kissed.

Towako-san put a hand to her chin, and after some thought, she said "I see" as she clapped her hands. "It can be interpreted like that indeed!"

She walked up to me, and gently lifted my chin up, making me face her, while did the exact opposite and ducked my head slightly.

"That's cool with me, I guess, if you insist," she said.

"Eh? Eh? Eh?" Despite being the originator of the idea, I wasn't able to follow.

Towako-san's womanly lips drew nearer and nearer; they were moist and beautiful because she always used a weak lipstick.

''How about me?'' I became worried that my lips were dry. ''It would be embarrassing if he thought I had chapped lips.''

''Ah, didn't Koumoto-san give me a lipstick back then?'' I thought back at the hairdresser I had visited recently. ''But isn't it a bit strange to put on lipstick for sleep? No, it's not, right?''

''Ah! I shouldn't be thinking about this now!''

"Oh, wait!" Towako-san suddenly said, just when I was about to look away, as she pulled her head back.

"What's the matter?" I asked while hiding the relief I was feeling inside. It was such times that I was grateful of my lack of expression.

"I just thought I'd better keep your lips for Tokiya because he may have changed his mind by now. 'Guess I'll only take care of him for the time being."

''Take care of him...? That means that Towako-san is going to...''

"Well, let's strike while the iron's hot, shall we?"

With these words, she walked toward Tokiya, but suddenly she stopped and slowly turned to me.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Well?" She pointed downward.

I followed her finger and noticed that I had grabbed her sleeve without noticing. Completely unwittingly.

"Eh, um, I..." I quickly pulled my hand away as I searched for words.

I had really not intended to do so. My hands had moved on their own.

Towako-san gave a light laugh and concluded, "You should really do it by the two of you."

"Ah, no, I didn't mean to..."

"Wouldn't it save everyone time and costs if the kiss was just between Tokiya and you, Saki-chan?" She patted on my head and left the bathroom.

''Save time and costs? She's right. We are carrying the same curse, so it would be more effective this way. Besides, we can't bother Towako-san with even more work when she has already done all the research for us.''

''I must have already come to that conclusion subconsciously, and that's why my hand held her back.''

''Yes, I'm sure.''
</div>

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

It was 8 AM sharp when I woke up.

Next to me lay a sleeping Saki who must have fallen asleep just now.

That meant that the spell hadn't been broken yet—in other words, that she hadn't kissed me.

I found myself being half-relieved and half-disappointed... R-Relieved that Saki didn't beat me to it, because well, I'm the guy, so I should do it, and d-disappointed because I'd had faint hopes that the curse might be lifted conveniently through some other way...

A-Anyway, I had to seize the initiative. For one thing, it seemed unlikely to me that Saki would... do ''that'', and for another, I felt that this was a task for the guy to do. I felt so... but that's easier said than done.

However, my own misgivings weren't the problem here. I didn't care about myself so much.

I for one didn't have any special ideas on how I wanted to experience my first kiss, nor did I want to save it for ever. ''Yeah, my first! Got a problem?!''

Anyway, I was actually done preparing myself mentally.

The problem was how Saki felt about it.

I didn't think that she was exactly happy, but I wondered if she was willing to swallow the bitter pill; that would've made things easier. What I feared, however, was that she was desperately searching for another way that didn't involve ''that''.

Or perhaps, she preferred to leave the curse as it was over lifting it through that method.

"Ah, dammit! Can't we have a few minutes when we're both awake?!"

''Why are our sleeping cycles precisely 12 hours from another...?''

I started chewing on a gum to calm down a bit, and finally came up with a great—or maybe decent—idea.

"I'll leave her a message."

That was our best bet if we couldn't directly talk with each other.

I took a notepad and a pencil and decided to write her a message. I didn't care that I was going to be late for school.

''Okay, now what to write.''

"I never know how to start this sort of thing. Um... ''Dear Saki, my name is Tokiya Kurusu.'' Okay, I guess I'm officially stupid. Dude, what's the point in writing a full-fledged letter?"

Nom-nom-nom, I chewed on my gum.

"Straight to the point. Hmmm, ''hey, may I kiss you?'' Whoa, this is embarrassing as hell!"

Nom-nom-nom.

"You're missing the point, dude. She knows what I'm going to do well enough."

Nom-nom-nom.

"The main problem is... um, ''are you okay if your first kiss is with me?'' Man, you're a wimp. You're a total wimp, dude!"

Nom-nom-nom.

"Dammit! Nothing feels right... well, of course not! There's not right or wrong to this sort of thing!"

Nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom.

"Oh, Tokiya? Still here?" Towako-san said as she entered the living room, still drowsy with sleep.

"Ugh..."

''Oh, I almost gulped down my chewing gum.''

In a hurry—but while pretending to be as cool as a cucumber—I tossed the pile of memos into the trash bin.

"What're you doing?" she asked, "Hm? You bought some candy? Now that's something. Lemme see. 'Freshens Your Breath', 'For a Good Breath', 'eliminates bad breath after meals', 'Citrus Mint.'" she read aloud the texts on the package, and flashed a mischievous grin. "Lech."

"H-Hey, I didn't buy them to freshen my breath or anything! They help me settle down."

"Why do you need to settle down?"

"Eh..."

"Listen, screw that settling-down stuff and strike the iron while it's hot. Saki-chan's waiting, you know?"

"Mind your own business! I'm going to school!"

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

<div style="color: #75365A; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
It was 8 PM sharp when I woke up.

Next to me lay a sleeping Tokiya who must have fallen asleep just now.

That meant that the spell hadn't been lifted yet—in other words, that he hadn't kissed me yet.

''...so I prepared myself for nothing. Eh, not that I did anything in special; I always sleep face-up, after all, and while I did brush my teeth twice as often and long as usual, that was only a counter-measure against caries!''

''The lip-stick was just against dry lips, too. They have been a little chapped lately.''

''A-Anyway.''

I gave Tokiya a reproachful look.

''Coward...''

These 12-hour cycles were going to continue if he didn't do anything; we wouldn't ever be able to talk with each other again!

''Or is he okay with that...?''

"!" I gasped when suddenly that thought raised a new possibility.

''Yes... perhaps that's true.''

Tokiya could go to school and to work without a problem. The only things that had changed for him were that he could sleep a little bit more and that he couldn't see me when I was awake.

Perhaps, he didn't consider that a problem. Perhaps, he didn't mind a change of that extent. Perhaps—

He would rather keep things as they were than fulfilling the condition needed to lift the curse.

I hadn't thought of such a possibility; I hadn't fathomed that Tokiya might be put off.

"Hey, Tokiya... are you really so loath to do it?"

There was no response.

I was overcome by anxiety—the desire to run away.

At the end of the day, I'm just a teenager girl.

I do have them, too — those moments when you get uneasy because you imagine being disliked.
</div>

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

It was 8 AM sharp when I woke up.

Next to me lay a sleeping Saki who must have fallen asleep just now.

It was about time to settle things.

Before going to sleep, I had decided that I would no longer waver when I next woke up.

I had also asked Shinjou, a classmate of mine, for advice, because—much to my chagrin—he had already had his first kiss with that manager girl. Completely dumbfounded he asked, "What? You haven't kissed yet? Even though you've got such a cute girlfriend?" Saki and I weren't in that kind of relationship, but I didn't want to flinch in front of him.

Basically, my manly pride had accelerated my determination. While that may be a bit rude toward the other party, I didn't care.

It was as Towako-san had said: I just had to strike the iron while it was hot.

I looked around cautiously.

Having Towako-san anywhere nearby was going to brake me, but I had to use my current momentum. Otherwise, I wasn't going to get in motion anytime soon.

"Okay, let's do this!" I said, bracing myself, and leaned over Saki.

Her dreaming face—her calm, defenseless face—was right before my eyes. Even her deadpan look was pretty cute when she was asleep.

While I was gazing her face, my mind was attacked by several stray thoughts. ''I didn't know her eyelashes were so long. She really has silky skin.''

''No no, I gotta concentrate.''

I looked at her delicate, slightly moist, slightly colored lips.

Was that lip-stick...? Against chapped lips, or because she had prepared herself as well?

At any rate, I was absorbed by her unexpectedly fine lips.

"Uh..." I accidentally gulped down, producing an uncomfortably loud gulping sound.

''Hey, I, I don't have any nasty thoughts!''

''This is for the sake of both of us.''

''Yeah, go! Tokiya Kurusu, if you are a man, you shall not hesitate! Go and taste them! Eh, no. Well, but yes.''

''Anyway, go, Tokiya, take a deep breath and get to it!''

I braced my arms that were supporting my body—and noticed that I'd touched something.

It was a memo.

Since it looked like a message from Saki, I picked it up and read it.

''How long are you going to take for something that's no different from mouth-to-mouth resuscitation?''

''What a...''

''What a charmless girl...''

Despite all my worries that I'd fought against for days like a complete moron, wondering if she was okay with someone like me, she didn't seem to care in the least.

No, she considered the source of my worries to be on the same level as mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. She was spitting on the time I had spent worrying, saying that I should hurry up, as if she didn't even care about my feelings.

I moved away from Saki.

I had lost momentum.

No, it had vanished.

Into thin air.

Leaving nothing behind.

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

<div style="color: #75365A; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
It was 8 PM sharp when I woke up.

Next to me... was no one.

"Eh?"

''Could this mean that we...?''

Just when I was about to touch my lips, I noticed that Tokiya was sleeping at the corner. Without a blanket and turned toward the wall.

''Why is that...?''

Tokiya should have been awake if the curse had been lifted. If, on the other hand, the curse was still intact, I didn't see why he would sleep so far from me. Of course, there was no reason for us to sleep in the same futon either, but we had only one down here and we wouldn't be sleeping there at the same time anyway. Until now, Tokiya had always been right beside me when I woke up.

Just by sleeping separately and turned away from each other, I felt somehow rejected—

Suddenly, my hand bumped against something. It was the message I had written to Tokiya when I was getting anxious.

The piece of paper was crumpled as though it had been scrunched up. Perhaps, I had accidentally rolled on it while sleeping.

After some fiddling, I managed to unfold the memo, and found my message as well as an additional line with Tokiya's handwriting and his words.

''If it means so little to you, then do it yourself!''

''...So he was loath to do it, after all.''

Turning his back to me was a sign of clear, unmistakable rejection.

The only reason why he was still sleeping in the same room despite that was probably to have me put an end to this already. He could still make excuses if the one actually doing it was me.

At any rate, he must absolutely hate to do it himself. So much that he couldn't even do it when thinking of it as mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.''

''Why am I adding ''probablies'' and ''musts''?''

''He '''does''' hate to do it.''

I had had a faint feeling that Tokiya was interested in me, but I was wrong. Perhaps, there was already a girl on his mind even.

However, I was sure that wasn't me.

It might be wrong to think like this, since we weren't in a relationship or anything, but I just, I just wanted him to show maybe not affection, but at least that he didn't hate me. Not that I got my hopes up; I just wanted him to be a tiny bit attracted to me.

However, Tokiya didn't want to. So much that he couldn't even think of it as rescue breathing. So much that he had to push the task upon me.

He could hardly bear it if I was his partner.

''But then—''

''Why did you embrace me like that?!''

Because of that, I had been strangely aware of Tokiya the past few days. He hadn't even given me a proper explanation.

It was no coincidence. He did not stumble.

He hugged me closely and strongly, so that I could hardly breathe.

But maybe that had nothing to do with that kind of feeling. Maybe I was alone with thinking about him all the time.

Perhaps, it had been nothing special to Tokiya.

''I feel like an idiot.''

I tossed the memo I had crumpled up again at the trash bin. Instead of falling into it, however, the bin fell over and distributed its contents on the floor.

''Even this won't go smoothly.''

In order to bring out the trash, I stood up and started to collect the spilled contents as if to collect myself and recover from the ruffled emotions. There were lots of bubble gum wrappers and packages and scraps of paper. I noticed that I hadn't regularly brought out the trash ever since this started.

''Let's get this over with already.''

''Is Towako-san awake? Once I'm done here, I'll ask her to do what must be done Tokiya and me and be done with it.''

''Maybe I should just use that Censer and get the real thing?''

With such silly thoughts I picked up another memo sheet. ''One of the many I have written and scrapped'', I figured. I had composed a whole lot of them while I was racking my brains about what I should write.

''Tokiya is going to bothered if he sees this; I'll pick those out and burn them for good.''

''Dear Saki, my name is Tokiya Kurusu—''

"Huh?"

I didn't recognize the message written on the memo.

''It's not one of mine...?''

I carefully smoothed the crumpled sheet. Though hard to read, it was Tokiya's handwriting; he had written this memo.

I tried taking a look at the other crumpled sheets.

''Hey, may I kiss you?''

''Are you okay if your first kiss is with me?''

''Won't you regret it?''

''If you'd rather not, I'm absolutely okay with that!''

I found countless of these messages. Written, crumpled, discarded. Written, crumpled, discarded.

I could clearly picture his uncertainty to myself.

I could clearly see how much he had thought about me, how much he had worried about me, and how much he had brooded over this matter.

I could clearly understand why he couldn't just think of it as mouth-to-mouth resuscitation—because of me.

I almost had to laugh. No one else but ''Saki Maino'' almost had to laugh.

"You're such a silly."

I walked to where Tokiya was sleeping, facing the wall without even putting a blanket over himself.

Earlier, he had frightened me because he looked like he was rejecting me, but now he looked cute, like a sulking boy.

I covered him with a blanket and gently put a newly written memo into his hand.

"Hey, Tokiya..." I whispered softly at his ear, not caring that he couldn't hear me.
</div>

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

It was 5 PM I had come back from school and was looking down at a sleeping Saki.

That morning, Saki hadn't been beside me when I woke up. For a moment there I got my hopes up, but I quickly noticed her sleeping in the middle of the room, face-up; It was me who had been sleeping elsewhere and who had the blanket.

The curse had not been lifted.

Apparently, Saki was bent on pushing the job upon me, but I had not the slightest intention to do as she wanted.

I was thinking to leave it to Towako-san, who, however, seemed to be absent at the present time. She wasn't there in the morning, either. ''Jeez, she'd better not be doing it on purpose.''

Anyway, I had no choice but to wait for her return while praying that that would be before 8 PM. I didn't want to stay like this forever.

I looked at Saki's face.

It was the same carefree, expressionless face like always.

I would have loved to share even just a fraction of my worries with her. That being said, she would probably maintain her deadpan face, and reply something like, "What? You've been thinking about ''that''?"

"If it's so simple for you, why won't ''you''..." I started making complaints she couldn't hear anyway, when I suddenly discovered a memo where I had been sleeping this morning.

''The one I left next to her pillow yesterday...?''

I had written something along the lines of "''If it means so little to you, then do it yourself!''"

''Does that mean that she didn't read it, if it's lying around there? Or did she read it and then throw it away?''

I picked up the—to my surprise—neatly folded memo.

''Didn't I crumple it when I placed it next to Saki...?''

I unfolded the sheet of paper and looked at it.

"What..."

It was a letter from Saki.

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

<div style="color: #75365A; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
I woke up.

Next to me—was no one.

Tokiya was already within my field of vision when I woke up.

"Finally woken up? I was really getting worried because you wouldn't wake up for two hours!" he explained as he let out a deep sigh of relief. "Well, but looks like the curse is gone now."
[[Image:Tsukumodo_V3_304.jpg|400px|right]]

He showed me the time; it was 7 PM. One hour before I would usually wake up.

"If I'm not asleep in an hour, then that's over and done with, no?" he smiled at me.

The fact that I was awake at this time meant that the curse had been lifted, which in turn meant that ''that certain act'' had been conducted, and the fact that Tokiya was standing there was speaking for itself...

So was the fact that I still felt a slightly tickling sensation on my lips...

"Saki." Tokiya was looking at me with a serious expression.

"I-It's fine. Don't mind it. It's really just like rescue breathing. Ah, no, it's not like I'm thinking of it like that. Just, how should I put it... um, I am, yes, happy that you were..."

"Meow~"

"That you were... huh? Meow?"

An unfamiliar sound called me back to reality. A cat poked its head out on Tokiya's arms. It was Mii, Asami-chan's pet.

But what was Mii doing here?

"Ah, um, listen. A lot happened, you know, but to cut right to the chase..."

"Yes?"

"This little guy has lifted our curse."

"What?"

"Well... looks like even a fellow like this can lift that curse, eh?"

I looked at Mii in his arms. It innocently licked its lips as if to give its thanks for the feast.

The following day, I got up at 8 AM and disposed of the trash. It was quite a lot of work because the garbage had piled up over the past few days, but I was delighted to be able to work and get up at this time.

Shortly, I would be able to make my long-awaited comeback to the world of customer service.

I was excited. ''Yes, I am excited! Like never before! Truly.''

In the end, Tokiya also had Mii lift his curse and went home after confirming that he didn't fall asleep at 8 PM. We had made sure to pack the ashes tightly up when throwing them into the trash, so that nothing would leak.

''What a troublesome pile of ashes. Really, this can't be said enough.''

"Ah, Saki-chaan!" someone called my name.

It was Asami-chan, one of my few friends and the owner of Mii.

"Did Mii behave well?" she asked.

"...Quite so."

"S-Saki-chan? Are you angry?"

''Oh no, I became rattled for a moment.''

"No, I'm not. But that aside: you're quite early today, what's the matter?"

"I'm here to fetch Mii."

"Oh, I would have brought Mii to you..."

Tokiya had told me to return Mii to Asami-chan in the morning. I had been planning to go as soon as I'd taken care of the garbage and prepared breakfast.

"But I was missing Mii."

"Let's head back together then." I proposed.

"Mm," she nodded in response.

We joined our hands and walked back to the Tsukumodo Antique Shop. On the way, Asami-chan pursed her small lips and complained, "Onii-chan was a total meanie yesterday!"

She was referring to Tokiya by ''Onii-chan''.

"He suddenly turned up in the evening and said he wanted to borrow Mii. He didn't even tell me why!"

Apparently, Asami-chan hadn't given Mii away willingly, which made perfect sense, since animals are not something to trade with. Tokiya must have been quite pushy to get Mii because he couldn't just explain the situation to her.

"You must always give a reason when you ask someone to lend you something!" Asami-chan said.

"You're right. I'll be sure to tell him."

I was amused to see her act so maturely.

"And I'll have to give him some more minus points for coming in the middle of dinner," she added.

"Oh, you were having dinner? That's quite early, isn't it?"

Tokiya must have gone to borrow Mii around 5 PM.

"Hm? I think it's normal. We always eat around that time."

"Right after you come home from school?" I asked.

"No, not really! School is already over at 5."

"Yes, but didn't you have dinner around that time?"

"If dinner was that early, I would get hungry at night! We always have it around 6."

"6? That's also when Tokiya came to borrow Mii?"

"Yeah."

''What's the meaning of this?''

''I mean, I woke up at 7 PM. That means that Tokiya can't have borrowed Mii at 6 PM.''

''After all...''

''After all...''

''Tokiya said:''

''I was really getting worried because you wouldn't wake up for two hours!''

Unless he had told me a lie, that would mean that the curse was lifted at 5 PM. But Tokiya borrowed Mii at 6 PM when Asami-chan was having dinner with her family.

''If that's true, Mii wasn't around at 5 PM, right?''

''What's the meaning of this?''

''Did he make a slip of the tongue? Or did Asami-chan's memory fail her?''

''Or—''

"Saki-chan, now you look happy somehow!"

"It's nothing."

Without even noticing, I touched my lips.
</div>

<div style="text-align: center">◆</div>

''Phew, looks like this matter has finally been settled. What a troublesome curse. Really.''

I had already seen my share of Relics, but none had exhausted me that much. I sure didn't want to experience that ever again.

Finally, I was back at Home, Sweet Home. My cheap apartment. My castle.

Lying on the floor, I put my hand into my pocket and took out a memo along with the rattling of paper.

It was the memo Saki had addressed to me.

I felt mortally embarrassed whenever I read it.

That girl had read the drafts I had thrown away!

''Dammit! I look totally stupid!''

It was sort of a reply to the unsightly fight I'd had with myself. While it did put an end to the conflict, it also threw up new worries.

It made me feel even worse for doing it in such an ambiguous and hidden manner while she was asleep!

After agonizing over it for an eternity, I had finally come up with the idea of using Mii.

''Leaving aside Mii for now—with the intention to apologize on another occasion—it looks like she completely bought it. That's one thing off my shoulders.''

I looked at her memo again. It was Saki's answer.

''Who else is there better?''

''That's way too cute for you...''

''When told something like that, even someone like me will...''

''Lose his self-control for a moment.''

<references />

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| Back to [[Tsukumodo:Volume 3 Dream|Dream]]
| Return to [[Tsukumodo Antique Shop|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Tsukumodo:Volume 3 Afterword|Afterword]]
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</noinclude>

Tsukumodo:Volume 3 Puppet

2015-03-25T19:58:54Z

Chocolatkey:

The good you do for others is good you do yourself.

I suppose this proverb suggests that you should help others as much as you can because it will eventually serve yourself. I'm not going to disagree and say that it's wrong to help others out of greed for a reward.

However, you should always keep in mind that the "good" you do for others might occasionally backfire at you and those around you.

You should always think it through before you force your help upon someone.

Well, if I told her that, she would surely tell me to follow that advice myself.

<div style="text-align: center;">◆</div>

<div style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times New Roman, Times, serif">
Immersed in our own little world, we spun together a clumsy story that would replace the dreams we could not have.

We would escape from the west and the east and go somewhere far away where no one knew us.

We would be surrounded by lots of puppets that we would wind up every morning and live happily with.

I would learn the craft of tailoring and make pretty clothes for them, and on nice days, I would take them for a walk.

"Do I get none?" he would sulk. "Of course I'll make your clothes first," I would reply.

"You can't take all of them with you at once," he would worry. "Then let's decide on an order so that there won't be any quarreling," I would reply.

And one day we would become human and have children and give them puppets for their birthdays every year, we said as we weaved this ephemeral fairy-tale.

A dreamlike tale it was that we raved about, indeed. A tale as valuable and as fragile as a dream, that would never come true.

"Would you... say my name ten times?" I asked him from the other side of the firmly locked door.

To alleviate the fear.

To hear his voice while I was still able to.

To bid farewell.

"And as soon as you have called my name ten times, you will forget about me. Its a... command!"

He remained silent for a while, but eventually he started calling my name.

"Swallowtail," he said, fulfilling my wish.

"Swallowtail," he said, savoring the name as much as he could.

"Swallowtail," he said, fighting against the tears.

"Swallowtail," he said, bracing himself.

"Swallowtail," he said, trying to comfort me with all his might.

"Swallowtail," he said, clearly.

"Swallowtail," he said, dearly.

"Swallowtail," he said, tenderly.

"Swallowtail," he said, as if it were a dream.

And then—
</div>

<div style="text-align: center;">◆</div>

That day at the Tsukumodo Antique Shop turned out to be as uneventful as ever.

There was nothing as boring as waiting for customers who didn't exist to begin with; it made therefore perfect sense that I would grow listless with time. ''Aah, I can't stop yawning...''

"Tokiya, you mustn't yawn at the counter," said our serious salesgirl with reproachful look. "What if a customer walked in?"

"Yeah... that would surely be a shock...! For me, because it would be our first customer today."

"That's not what I'm talking about."

"Oh, you're right. He'd be the first customer this <i>week</i>."

"No, that's not what I..." Saki suddenly cut off her sentence, her cheeks twitching and her eyes slightly wet with tears.

"Look! You're yawning, too!"

"I'm not," she denied my claim without batting an eye.

"But you <i>clearly</i> stifled a yawn just now."

"I did not yawn if I stifled it. And that's just because you yawned first, Tokiya."

"Don't make it my fault."

"It's a fact," she countered.

"Either way, what if a customer had entered the shop? Would you have been able to attend him properly while stifling a yawn?" I asked, probing into her cheap excuse.

"Uh," she groaned. "I... I wouldn't act like this if there was a customer."

"Neither would I. That's why it's okay to yawn as long as no one's around." With these words, I yawned profoundly, making use of my hard-earned right to do so, and stood up.

"Where are you going?"

"I have to pee. I guess I'll wash my face while I'm at it. You should wash yours, too."

"...How careless of me," she said with mortifying regret for her showing the slightest sign of yawning. At least, that's the impression I got from the air around her expressionless face.

Suddenly, just when I had set my first foot into the living room behind the counter, I noticed a suit case in a corner of the shop. I remembered seeing Towako-san taking it with her on her last purchase trip.

"I told her to clear it away, but she wouldn't listen," Saki sighed.

"Who cares? This whole shop is sort of a storeroom, anyway."

Thud, she hit me.

"How can you call our shop a storeroom? Is that how a employee should behave?"

She could say whatever she wanted: with the complete absence of any orderliness on the shelves, labelling it a storeroom was perfectly valid. I hadn't said anything wrong.

"If you disagree, why don't you stow that suit case away?" I suggested.

"She'd be angry with me if I even touched it, wouldn't she?"

The purchases Towako-san made were always Relics, and some among them worked special powers just by touching them. In fact, we had once come across a statue that would kill anyone who touched it. Ever since, we were forbidden to fiddle with any of her purchases... even though Towako-san had the bad habit of putting them somewhere and then forgetting about them.

That being said, all the articles from her last purchase a few days ago turned out to be fake; there was no real need to be over-cautious. ''Just a quick look'', I thought as I pulled the suitcase toward me and opened it without further ado.

"It should be empty," Saki explained. "The contents are all on the shelves. See?"

She was right. All the fakes Towako-san had purchased on that trip were already put up for sale.

However, I then noticed something in a corner of the suitcase; it was a transparent case that was about 10cm all around.

"What's this?" Saki asked as she curiously leaned forward.

"You sure you wanna look? Aren't you at work?"

"It's fine. After all, this might wind up being a new product in our sortiment, right?" she justified herself, countering my ironic remark with unexpected flexibility. She must have been bored, too, no matter what she said.

I placed the case on the counter. It was a perfectly ordinary case by the look of it.

Inside was a key with a string twined around it. The string was transparent and became almost invisible depending on how it was lit. The key on the other hand was not an ordinary key but a wind-up key, as seen in toys and music boxes. The bow part was designed to look like wings but was dirty and rusty.

"Now what do we have here?" I remarked while raising my head and noticed that Saki's gaze was still fixed on the case. "What's the matter?"

"There's a voice..." she whispered. "A voice... I can hear a voice... What is it? What do you want to tell me...?" she asked someone who was not there as if in a fever.

"Hey, Saki? What's wrong?"

''I have a real bad feeling about this,'' I thought.

I reached out for the transparent cube in order to return it into the suitcase, but Saki was quicker: She picked it up and tried to open it.

"Hey, stop it! Saki!"

My voice didn't reach her; ignoring my warning, she opened the lid and clutched at the key—and abruptly yanked her hand back as if retreating from an electric shock.

"What's..." I started but I had to stop mid-sentence.

Saki was crying.

Tears were rolling down her cheeks, dripping from her chin to the floor.

"...Why?"

"Saki...?"

"Why?" she asked with a calm and sorrowful voice. "Why didn't he call my name ten times?"

<div style="text-align: center;">◆</div>

<div style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times New Roman, Times, serif">
<i>Krrrz. Krrrz</i>

From afar I heard the sound of something being wound up—the sound that served as my alarm clock.

One of my gears was set in motion and passed on the rotation to the adjacent gear, which in turn ignited another one.

I slowly opened my eyes.

"Good morning," said my master with a gentle smile on his face. He was the most skilled puppet-maker in West Town and said to be the second coming of the famous puppet-maker Automaton, despite his young age of about 20 years.

A long time ago, there had been two legendary puppet-makers in these lands. One of them was Automaton, an expert in making automated wind-up puppets, and the other one was Marionette, an expert in making puppets operated through wires.

According to the lore, their puppets were much akin to real humans, comprehending their respective masters' words, acting thoughtfully, and supporting their masters' as servants and as friends.

However, those two puppet-makers as well as their creations had long since gone lost, making it impossible to learn the truth, but there was nobody in this country who did not know of their story.

And my master was said to be the second coming of that legendary Automaton.

The puppets my master created had the reputation of acting like real people—just like Automaton's. They understood his words, acted thoughtfully, and served him.

Yes, I was one of them.

They called me Swallowtail. My black hair was softly curved like the face of the western sea and my eyes were black as the night sky when both people and puppets were in deep slumber. I was clad in a sleeveless dress, which transitioned from yellow to black, and a wavy skirt, both of which my master chose for me. The thing I loved most about my appearance, however, was the large ribbon on my back that looked like wings. He once told me that he had modeled me on a butterfly he had seen in a foreign country a long time ago.

"Good morning, master."

My morning always started after greeting my master. The first thing I would do is waking the other puppets.

Picking up the valuable wind-up key he had entrusted me with, I headed to the storeroom and the other puppets sitting on the racks.

There was a small hole on their backs. It was my task to put the key into those holes, and wind them up. When I rotated the key, the puppets started to move as if life had been breathed into them.

I loved the pleasant sound of winding up a spring.

"Good morning. Such beautiful weather we have today; it will be a wonderful day," said the baron as he lifted his hat.

"Good morning. You're one minute late today," complained the clock man in passing as he came out of his window, as strict about the time as ever.

"Good morning. I want to sleep some more..." said sleepyhead while rubbing his eyes.

"Good morning. I will perform the finest dances today," said the dressed-up ballerina as she performed a pirouette.

The other puppets, too, had life breathed into them when I wound them up: The soldier puppet started to march with his rifle, the children dashed away merrily, and the orchestra commenced their music play.

<i>When applied, this key will let a puppet act as if it were alive. So please wind them up everyday—</i>

This wind-up key was a valuable instrument of my master's that could breathe life into wind-up puppets.

And these puppets were valuable memories of his childhood. Even though unlike me, they were ordinary wind-up puppets, my kind master did not forget about them.

I continued to wind up many more puppets, all of which wished me a good morning me once awakened. The more springs I wound up, the better I felt—almost as though I was winding up myself.

"Good morning everyone."

It was the start of a new day.
</div>

<div style="text-align: center;">◆</div>

I was shaking in disbelief after I had heard her out.

I had heard of stories about souls or wills dwelling inside of objects, but dealing with an actual case was hard to believe even for someone like me who had grown accustomed to supernatural antiques. Even more so if one of those souls or wills had supposedly changed its host body.

To make a long story short, the soul of its previous user had indwelt that wind-up key and had jumped over to Saki.

With Saki's mouth and Saki's voice, she had told me various things.

Her name was Swallowtail. Apparently, she had served and looked after a famous puppet maker, although I don't know when and where that was. The wind-up key was the tool she had used to put his puppets into motion and an irreplaceable memento for her.

However, I hadn't found out the important stuff yet.

<i>"Why didn't he call my name ten times?"</i>

What did these words mean? What would I have to do to make her leave Saki's body?

As unbelievable as an incident like this is in real life, stories like this can be found in movies, books and whatnot en masse—including what happens to the victims when a foreign soul takes them over.

I wanted to question her more, but as soon as she had finished, she suddenly passed off. Like a puppet whose mainspring had come to a halt.

For the time being, I picked up Saki—or Swallowtail, that is—and carried her into her room. I had to ask her more questions once she was awake again.

Suddenly, I noticed that there were black stains where Saki had touched the wind-up key.

That key was really dirty, it seemed...

<div style="text-align: center;">◆</div>

<div style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times New Roman, Times, serif">
I was making purchases. Master had given me a list of chemicals to buy for him. I had never heard of any of them, but he told me that he needed them for his puppets.

That day, something unusual happened.

"Swallowtail."
[[Image:Tsukumodo_V3_99.jpg|400px|right]]

Hearing my name being called, I looked around but there was no one.

"Upward, I'm up here."

My gaze was pulled up by the voice's words. A boy was sitting on the wall, who had a remarkable, carefree smile on his tanned face. Happy that I finally noticed him, he waved at me.

<i>This is what they call 'hitting on someone'—there's no doubting it!</i>

I quickly looked ahead again and stepped away.

"Eh, hey there!" He jumped off the wall and landed right in front of me. <i>How acrobatic</i>, I thought. <i>No, I shouldn't be surprised but rather get away from here.</i>

"I was looking for you, Swallowtail."

"?"

He was speaking to me like to an acquaintance, even though I didn't know him.

"Um, have we met somewhere?"

"Huh? Swallowtail? Do you not remember me?"

"You must have gotten the wrong person."

<i>Ah, or the wrong puppet maybe?</i>

"The wrong person? What's your name?" he asked me.

"I'm Swallowtail. The attendant of the western puppet maker."

"Attendant? Of the western...? But isn't that the famous puppet maker from West Town?"

"Famous?" <i>...Well said, young man,</i> I thought, unable to suppress a content smile. No servant who isn't happy when her master is praised. "It seems that you have done your homework. Yes, you're right. I serve the famous puppet maker of West Town."

I had originally planned to run away, but having revealed my identity, I had to protect my master's reputation.

"...I see. I must have... confused you with her."

"Did you understand at last?"

"I'm Spider. Please forgive my rudeness!" he apologized as he shook my hand.

"Spider? That's a peculiar name, and we don't often see the kind of face you have around here."

"Yeah, I have only just arrived from East Town."

I wasn't surprised to hear that my master was also well-known in East Town. As I indulged in a satisfying feeling of pride, I became curious about what they said about my master.

"Could you tell me more about you?" Spider asked.

"Sure. If in return you tell me about my master's reputation in East Town."

I then questioned him about the rumors of my master and the reputation of his puppets in East Town. The rumors had spread far it seemed; Spider could tell me all kinds of things.

In return, I also told him about myself, about the work I usually did as the attendant of the puppet maker from West Town.

Before I knew it, much time had passed.

<i>Oh no,</i> I thought, <i>I was in the middle of making purchases.</i>

"Okay, I have to go."

"Already?" he objected.

"I'm in the middle of making purchases."

"I see. That's a shame. Can we meet again sometime?"

"Yes, if time permits, let's chat again. I would love to hear more about East Town."

We bid each other goodbye and parted ways.

"Ah, before I forget!" Spider suddenly said after taking a few steps and turned around to me. "I'm Spider. The attendant of the famous puppet maker from East Town."

What had I done.

Of all people I had chatted with the servant of my master's archenemy, who was a puppet maker of comparable skill. The puppet maker of East Town was a woman and said to be the second coming of Marionette.

I felt mortified for having asked her attendant about my master's reputation in East Town.

Besides, why hadn't he told me who he was right at the start? I was dead-sure that he had been teasing me and was laughing at me behind my back.

When I returned home in a bad mood, however, someone suddenly clung at me.

"Help me," a girl begged in my arms.

"What's the matter?"

"Help me! Or else I'll be..."

"Come on, don't trouble me!" said a sturdy man who stood behind her. I knew him; his heavy build and bear-like face made him seem scary, but he would look like an innocent child when he smiled.

Upon realizing that the man and I were acquainted, the girl pushed me away and tried to escape, but he caught her in the blink of an eye. Before she knew it, she had been thrown into a wagon.

"She's the new...?" I asked the man.

"Yeah, she's the new slave."

In this country, slave dealing was established in law. Parents could therefore sell their children without any penalty, and slave traders could buy children off their parents without any penalty. Among other things, the man before me was also involved in slave trade.

"Oh boy, why are people always so stubborn?"

"Everything would be so much better if there were more of my master's puppets, wouldn't it?" I suggested spontaneously and was quite fond of this idea. That being said, it appeared to be difficult even for my master to build puppets of my level. Even the legendary Automaton had in his entire lifetime only once succeeded in making a puppet that couldn't be discerned from a real person.

I was fairly proud of being special.

"Yes, indeed. Why don't you tell him that we would love to see more of them?" he agreed with a laugh, unfolding his face to a child-like smile.

"No, I'm sorry. If he worked even more than he already does, he would surely collapse."

<i>Besides, I want to stay special.</i>

"Hm? Come on, you just don't want him to lose the time that he now spends for you, ain't I right?"

I felt blood running up into my head because he was spot-on. I looked like a spoiled child!

"Joke aside, is your master at home right now?"

"Yes. He is in his workshop. Please follow me." With these words I led the man to my master.

I was aware of the bad reputation that came from associating with slave drivers but I didn't personally think that bad of the slavery law. Families could survive thanks to the money earned by selling their children, and the enslaved children were given work to do. Although it was of course deplorable for families to be torn apart, I was convinced that if the children found a good master to serve, they wouldn't mind it in the long run.

...Or was it because I was a puppet that I could think like that?

<i>Krrrz. Krrrz</i>

Again my morning started to the mechanic sound of being wound up. My master welcomed me with a smile when I returned from the dreamland, and then I started my routine of winding up all the puppets.

"Good morning. What beautiful weather we have today; but it would seem to me that it is cloudy in your heart. What is the matter, my dear?" greeted the baron as he lifted his hat.

"Good morning. You're 3 minutes late today," complained the clock man in passing as he came out of his window, as strict about the time as ever.

"Good morning. I want to sleep some more..." said the sleepyhead while rubbing his eyes.

"Good morning. Strange... I feel so stiff today," said the pretty ballerina as she performed a pirouette. However, today her pirouette wasn't nearly as smooth as it used to be.

"Miss Ballerina? Are you feeling unwell?"

"Yes... Maybe I have caught a cold?"

"Shall I notify master?" I offered.

"Yes, please. If time permits, I would be thankful if he could take a look."

After I had finished winding everyone up, I asked my master to take a look at the ballerina, but he told me that he was busy and would deal with it the following day. He was a very busy man.

"Swallowtail."

I was again making purchases when suddenly I heard my name being called from above like the day before. Paying no heed to him, I walked on.

"Hey, Swallowtail...!" Spider groaned as he jumped off the wall and landed before me.

However, I still ignored him and passed him by as if he weren't there to begin with.

"What a bummer. That means I'll have to dispose of the sweets I've brought from East Town, huh."

My feet stopped against my will.

"You would absolutely love them, Swallowtail."

"......"

The candy Spider gave me came in a rich variety of colors, made of melted sugar that was then colored and hardened. It was the first time I tried this type of candy, but the taste was accompanied by a faint feeling of nostalgia. They were sweet and delicious.

"D-Don't think you can tame me with some candy!"

"Of course not. You stayed to listen to what I have to say, right?"

"Uh..."

I had originally planned to leave right away, but if I went now, it would seem as though I had only been after his candy.

"O-Of course!" I replied boldly. "Because it would be mean to ignore you!"

"That's good to hear. By the way, how do you like the candies?"

"They're delicious."

"Is it the first time you had some?" Spider asked me.

"Yes. I haven't even seen them before."

"I see..."

"Is there a problem?"

"No no. I was just surprised that they are unknown around here."

"Yes, but we do have similar candy made of honey. They are just as delicious!"

"Then I would love to taste some," he replied.

"Fine, I'll bring you some in return next time."

"Promise?"

"Sure," I said in return and only then noticed that I had just made an arrangement to see him again. He had twisted me around his little finger even though I had been so cautious of him at the beginning

I stared closely at him.

"What's it all of a sudden?" he asked startledly.

"What is your aim?"

"My aim? Well, I wanted to talk with you."

"About what?"

"Um, about what kind of place West Town is?"

"Then take a look around. You <i>are</i> in West Town, after all."

"That's not what I mean... maybe I should say that I'm interested in the puppets of the west?"

"Did the puppet maker of East Town perhaps send you to spy out my master? I'm as silent as a grave!"

"No, that's not it! Besides, if I wanted to do that, I could just buy one of his puppets, no?"

"Good point," I admitted.

"Moreover, it's not like I don't know how the puppets here differ from those in the east. They're all designed to be wound up, right?"

"Those in the east are operated via wires if I'm not mistaken? I have never seen one, though."

"Oh, you're right. We do it just like this," he explained as he took a small puppet out of his pocket that had the face of a friendly jester. There were a total of ten wires attached to the puppets head, hands, feet, shoulders and hips, which seemed like an unaesthetic sight to me.

After he had slipped on the rings that were connected to the wire ends, he bowed—and the puppet followed suit.

"?"

With a charming smile on his face, he started moving his fingers as if playing an instrument and the puppet responded! It lifted its head, moved its legs around—it performed a particular dance.

<i>So that's how you operate puppets with wires,</i> I thought as I watched his performance.

The ballerina we had at home would only spin as she made turns on the platform she stood on, but his puppet carried out any number of movements if he shook fingers accordingly. I really loved the dances of our dear Miss Ballerina, but the dance Spider and his puppet performed was so special and funny that I couldn't keep myself from laughing out.

Driven by my positive reaction, Spider put his back into it and displayed an even keener and more complicated—and funnier—dance.

After his show had ended, I clapped my hands together and applauded him.

He gave me a broad smile in response. It was not the playful one he would usually show me, however, but a slightly embarrassed one.

That smile of his erased what little had remained of my original caution of him. There was no longer a wall between us, and the distance had shrunk by a large deal.

However, that felt in no way disagreeable. If anything, I felt at home.

I woke up in the morning and stood up to carry out my daily routine. Taking my dear wind-up key with me, I headed to the workshop and went about sticking the key in everyone's back and winding them up.

"Good morning. Oh dear, it might be raining today. Think twice before you hang out the laundry!" warned the baron as he lifted his hat.

"Good morning. I can't believe my eyes: You're on time today," said the clock man in passing as he came out of his window, leaving me aghast at his impudence.

"Good morning. I want to sleep some more..." said sleepyhead while rubbing his eyes.

"........."

"Oh?"

The ballerina was supposed to put her every-morning dance on display, but the ballerina did not budge. Suspecting that I hadn't wound her up enough, I twisted the key a few more times, but it had no effect and she didn't perform a dance.

"What is the matter, my dear?", and "What's the trouble?", and "What's wrong...?" inquired the awake puppets uneasily.

"The ballerina just won't dance for us even though I have wound her up."

My words triggered a commotion among the puppets.

"I can't move my body," breathed the ballerina feebly.

I dropped everything on the spot and dashed off into my master's room.

"Master!"

"What's the matter, Swallowtail?"

"The ballerina... the ballerina...!" I stammered, but still he guessed what I was trying to say and immediately headed to the workshop where he started to examine the broken dancer girl.

He would be able to mend her, I was sure.

He would make her dance again, I told myself.

He was the number one puppet maker in town; there was nothing he couldn't do.

"Oh, that's beyond repair."

My hopes were crushed with gruesome ease.

"She's full of rust inside, you see, there's no way she can move anymore. Ah... do we have a leak?" he noted as he looked up at the ceiling. As predicted by the baron it had started to rain and water dripping from above had created a small puddle where the ballerina had been placed until a few moments ago.

It had been raining occasionally for the past few days; the rain must have been corroding her during that time. I hadn't noticed at all.

"Do not fret, Swallowtail," my master comforted me as he stroked my head, "I will make a new one for you."

"What's wrong, Swallowtail?"

I was sitting unprotected in the pelting rain when Spider approached me. Although we hadn't made an appointment or anything, I had somehow known that he would come.

"What's with that puppet?"

"It's Miss Ballerina. She stopped moving..." I explained. I told him that I had been aware of her bad condition since the day before, and that I hadn't taken the proper measures to prevent this outcome. That I was sure my master would have changed his mind had I been more insistent.

"But you informed the puppet maker of the west about her, didn't you? It's his fault that he didn't repair her in time."

"Don't talk bad of my master. I should have told him more properly. But he seemed so busy..."

"Don't blame yourself, Swallowtail," the ballerina said in my hands as to comfort me. "It's not your fault that it rained, and our master was just too busy after all."

She did not budge while she was talking—even though she used to perform beautiful pirouettes—and her words were accompanied by a high creaking. I would never see her lovely dances again, and that thought filled me with sadness.

"What did the puppet maker tell you to do with it?"

"He... told me to dispose of her because he would make a new one for me."

A broken wind-up puppet was of no worth; as deplorable as it was, it stood to reason to throw it away.

"It seems the west and the east are the same in that respect. Once something loses its value, they throw it away."

"Spider?"

"In the east, you must know, puppets are thrown away as soon as their wires become torn. They could easily be fixed, but hardly anyone bothers to do that."

Suddenly, I was struck with an idea.

"Say, Spider, would the puppet maker of East Town be able to repair her?"

Astonished, he looked at the ballerina and me for a while.

"Are you sure...?"

"Yes. Anything is better than throwing her away."

Spider accepted the ballerina from me.

"Okay. I'll see what I can do."

On the following day, I was waiting for Spider for the first time since we had met.

Impatient as I was, I was there a good deal earlier than appointed, just to be even more impatient because I still had to wait.

I was thinking back at the broken Miss Ballerina.

If my master said he couldn't repair her, then it was unthinkable that anyone else could pull off the feat. Not even the puppet master of the east. Somewhere inside, however, there was another voice that bore faint hopes that the other puppet master would actually succeed.

Spider had said that he would see what he could do, and I found myself believing him. Believing that he would do something about it.

Suddenly, something dropped into my view, before my lowered gaze.

"?"

I startled up and saw a dancer girl spinning; the ballerina was dancing in front of my eyes. Following the ten wires that were attached to her body with my eyes, I found fingers moving around wildly, and going up a little more, I found Spider's smile.

"I asked my master to repair her. Sadly, it was not possible to remove the rust inside."

The ballerina danced around in accord with his finger movements. While her dance wasn't as spectacular as that of Spider's other puppet and while she couldn't be wound up anymore, she was once again delighting me with a charming performance.

She had been reborn as a puppet of the east.

"Here you go," he said as he put her on my hands.

"Thank you so much... Spider..." I muttered and quickly slipped on the rings attached to the wires. "Welcome back, Miss Ballerina. I'm afraid I can't wind you up anymore, but I can let you dance now instead."

I tried my best at moving my fingers and making her dance. Though different, she performed a wonderful dance.

"You're good. You don't seem at all like a beginner."

"Yes, I'm surprised myself."

"But didn't you say you hadn't even seen one of our puppets until I showed you mine? I wonder why you are so skilled?"

"I have no idea. It's like my fingers moved of their own!"

<i>Maybe I know how to operate a puppet because I'm one myself?</i> I suspected. In the heat of the moment, I tried even harder to make her dance.

Until suddenly—

"Stop it!" cried the ballerina desperately.

"Miss Ballerina? What's wrong?"

"Stop it, please stop this madness."

"But why? You can still dance like this! You won't end up in the trash!"

"You don't get it. I want to dance <i>myself</i>, not be controlled by someone."

"Huh?"

"Have you forgotten, Swallowtail? We are mechanical puppets! Puppets that were designed to operate on their own! I wish you would have just thrown me away instead of turning me into what I am now. I wanted to die as master has created me, as a puppet of the west."

The ballerina, now with strings that made her look like a puppet of the east, was weeping as though she were lamenting the end of the world.

As I lowered my hands and let them dangle, her body also started to dangle loosely in the air. I was shocked to see her like that when she would normally always be graceful as a swan.

"What are you doing?" someone suddenly said to me from behind.

I spun around. It was my master.

"What brings you here?" I asked him. It was very rare for him to leave the house; more often than not, he would only move between his room and the workshop.

"Someone told me that you were doing something strange outside, so I..." he stopped in mid-sentence and contorted his face.

"I take it that you're the puppet maker of the West Town?" Spider said, greeting my master.

"You..."

"Yes? Is there something wrong?"

My master was visibly surprised when he saw Spider. It looked, however, like he had mistaken him for someone. "No... m-more importantly, what do you think you're doing?" my master asked as he pointed at the ballerina that was dangling from my hands.

"Ah, you see, master, it's our Miss Ballerina, I had her..."

"I can tell. What I want to know is why there are such foul strings attached to one of my puppets!" he fulminated, forcibly snatched her away from me and threw her to the ground. The ballerina's arms got bent and her arm fell off. He didn't stop there, however, and stamped on her, producing a clattering sound of breaking parts below his foot. When he finally moved his foot away, there were the beheaded remnants of what used to be the ballerina.

"Miss Balleri..."

"Don't ever do that again, hear me? And don't get involved with this guy, either! Come, we're leaving!" thundered my master in a burst of anger and left straightway. I hurriedly followed him, not even getting around to saying goodbye to Spider, but I couldn't walk side by side with him like always.

I had thought that everyone would be happy. I had thought that my master would be delighted to see the ballerina dancing again, let alone the ballerina herself.

But I hadn't made anyone happy except for myself. I had saddened the dancer girl and angered my master.

I had been mistaken entirely.

That day, the gentle master I had known disappeared.

He stopped calling me "Swallowtail" and started referring to me as "traitor" instead. I was locked into the storeroom in the basement and could neither do the household nor wind up the other puppets.

I thought of it as a punishment for the shameless act of having the ballerina repaired without his consent by his rival, the puppet maker of East Town, of all people.

While I could live with it because I had to atone for what I did, I was lonely not being able to talk with the others. I spent my days pondering about how I could get my master to forgive me, but I remained unsuccessful.

One day, he showed up in the basement—for the first time since he had locked me in there.

I had faint hopes that he had come to forgive me. That he would smile at me and accept my apologies.

What he said to me then, however, differed vastly from my expectations. The first thing my master said after entering the room was:

"I decided to sell you off. The merchant is coming this evening. Wait outside."

That moment, something inside me split apart.

Perhaps I had passed out in shock; next I noticed my master had already gone.

He hadn't forgiven me. No, he <i>wouldn't</i> forgive me: What I had done was not to be amended.

I stood up lifelessly.

I didn't want to put my master out by making him come all the way here to fetch me. I didn't want to bother him any more.

I left the basement and headed to the entrance, but there I stopped. <i>He must have gone to the workshop</i>, I thought, seeing that he wasn't in his room. I went inside and opened his safe. The wind-up key my master held so dear was inside. I was reluctant to take it without his permission, but in the end I picked the key up and headed back to the storeroom.

I wanted to say goodbye.

The room was dark and engulfed in complete silence. I went from puppet to puppet, put the key into their back and wound them up.

"Good morning. Oh, is it raining today? Your cheeks are wet with raindrops, my dear," said the baron as he lifted his hat.

<i>Yes, indeed. It seems to be raining today.</i>

"Good morning. No, no, it's not morning at all! What has gotten into you that you wake me at this time?" complained the clock man in passing as he came out of his window.

<i>I'm sorry. But worry not; starting tomorrow, someone more reliable will come to wake you up.</i>

"Good morning. I still want to sleep some more..." said sleepyhead while rubbing his eyes.

<i>Sorry for waking you up at this unusual time. But it's going to be the last time, so bear with me.</i>

I also wanted to wind up the ballerina; I wanted to see her dance for a very last time. However, she was not to be found anymore. Nowhere in the world.

Because of me.

"Why is it raining only into your eyes?", "What do you mean by a more reliable person?", "The last time?" the baron and the clock man and the boy asked simultaneously with the other puppets.

"I am resigning from my position, everyone."

That was the best way I could put it. I just couldn't bring myself to be more accurate and tell them that I was going to be sold or thrown away.

"We will miss you."

"I'm will keep the time to myself if you're not the one winding me up!"

"No! I don't want this to be the last time!"

They all regretted our farewell; they were sad about it. I was deeply moved by their kindness, but even more than that I was sad.

<i>I'm such a silly. Why would I want to turn one of them into a puppet of the east when they are all so wonderful?</i>

<i>Please forgive me, Miss Ballerina.</i>

<i>Please forgive me, master.</i>

"Please forgive me everyone. Farewell."

After a final apology I left the basement for good.

There was one more person whom I wanted to say goodbye. Whom I wanted to give thanks for everything, and apologize for the mistake I had made.

At the risk of having the door slammed in my face, I headed straight to the workshop after I had left the basement.

I heard something.

The sound of my master's working.

The sound that I had been so fond of.

The sound that I would no longer be able to listen to.

I stopped in front of the door to the workshop and peeped inside, wanting to fix this sight indelibly on my mind in case he refused to talk to me.

I gazed at his back.

I was here to bid him farewell, but I knew that if I were to step forward now, I would cling at him and beg for his forgiveness. I couldn't do that. I wasn't allowed to.

"Thank you for everything," I whispered in an inaudible voice and turned away.

It was then that I heard a feeble voice from behind me, from inside the workshop.

<i>Is there someone else inside besides my master?</i> I wondered as I peeped once again through the door crack.

All I could see was my master and an unfinished puppet he was working on, which already resembled a real human in every aspect and thus was probably nearing completion.

<i>That must be my replacement</i>, I though. <i>Please take good care of him in my stead! Don't be so foolish as I was!</i>

After silently bidding farewell to the new puppet, I turned away again to leave once and for all.

However, I couldn't help overhearing the groaning of the puppet.

"Please... sto... p... it..."

I froze on the spot.

"You can still talk? It seems that I underestimated your willpower," my master said softly and reached for a tool.

It was a syringe.

Unfamiliar as I was with the art of puppet making, I had no idea what he would use <i>a syringe</i> for. That sort of tool was meant to be used on real people, after all.

"For...give...ness..."

"This is what you get for being a bad girl."

My master inserted the syringe into the puppet's arm and injected the liquid inside.

"...Ah...aa..." the puppet breathed. "H... elp... me..."

"!"

I was as if struck by lighting: I knew the puppet's voice!

"Who is it?!" my master yelled as he spun around. He had heard my gasping in shock.

The door opened before I could even think of escaping.

"Swallowtail."

Never before had I seen such coldness in my master's eyes as in that moment.

After he had cautiously looked around and confirmed that we were alone, he pulled me into his workshop and slammed the door.

"Didn't I tell you to wait outside? Why do you keep getting in my way?"

"M-Master? This girl, she is..."

Before I could pose my question, I was slapped and fell to the floor, banging my head against the leg of the bed and rattling the girl puppet's head from the bed.

Our eyes met.

There was no more doubting it. It was that girl who had sought my help the other day and was sold by her parents.

<i>Why is she here?</i> I wondered. <i>No, why is my master giving injections to humans?</i>

As a bunch of questions arose, there was a certain thought that came slipping through between them. No matter how much I tried to ignore that thought, I couldn't keep it from surfacing. At the same time, my subconsciousness tried to put a lid on that doubt in order to protect me.

But it was too late.

<i>The puppets created by the puppet maker of West Town act like real people—</i>

Once cast, those doubts didn't disappear anymore.

"Did you turn people into puppets all along?" I asked him, feeling the temperature in the room drop rapidly.

"You're a bad girl. I wanted to leave your disposal to others, but it seems I can't do that anymore. Don't let her go."

When I tried to flee, someone suddenly seized me from behind. Turning my head as much as I could, I could see that it was the girl who had just been turned into a puppet.

"Good girl."

"Thank you very much," she answered him.

She was acting as though she had really become a lifeless puppet. Perhaps, the drug inside the syringe had the effect of numbing the mind. <i>So that's what those unknown chemicals were for!</i>

"Master, why do you do such a..."

"We puppet makers strive to imitate real people as much as possible. Our reputation is defined by the resemblance of our work to real people, and therefore, we keep honing our skills toward absolute resemblance. One day, however, I came to the realization that there is no value to puppets themselves if their defining quality is their humaneness... I realized that I could just as well use humans from the get-go."

"That's just..."

"Tell me: What do you think about the puppets that I made in my youth, those in the storeroom?"

"They are wonderful."

"And that's what they also told me back then. But how do they resemble real people when they can only do a set of predetermined actions and look nothing like a person? They're trash," he countered.

"So you decided to make puppets using humans?"

"Hm...? What is it with that reproachful glance? Don't look at me like that!" he shouted as he produced a handgun.

I tried to escape, but I was still seized.

"And yet again you make me go through all this..." he muttered, thumbing back the hammer of the gun and aiming at me. "You're an evil woman."

An instant before he pulled the trigger, someone suddenly broke through the door and came to my rescue.

It was Spider. Taking full advantage of the momentum, he bumped into my master, spun around and knocked the girl seizing me over. I almost fell to the ground, but he caught me.

"Spider..."

"I'm sorry. I should have come to your help sooner," he apologized as he held me in his arms. "But I had to learn the truth behind his trickery." Spider's eyes were fixed on my master who was struggling back on his feet.

I called our first encounter back into my mind; he seemed to know me, and called me by my name. I also recalled my master's disturbance upon seeing Spider a few days ago.

"You already knew us after all, didn't you, Spider?"

For a split second, he gave me a desolate look.

"I've been here once before—together with my own master, the puppet maker of the east. I wasn't here for long…but let's save that for another occasion," he explained and whispered into my ear, "You must flee."

The girl was still lying on the ground. This was our chance to escape.

"Go!" he shouted and I ran off. I'd thought Spider would follow me, but instead, he ran in the other direction to my master.

"Spider!"

"Don't stop!" he yelled back at me without turning around. I had already turned around to him, however, and therefore witnessed the smile glued on my master's face and saw how his mouth formed a sentence.

"I command you to stay put."

That was all that he whispered. However, his words were like a curse to Spider and caused him to halt on the spot.

"You stand no chance against me," he guffawed as he approached Spider. Spider had no other choice but to stand still and wait for him, just as though put under a spell. "Weren't you told to go home? I didn't expect to see you again here. Although, I have to admit, you obeyed that order just fine in a sense. Anyway, I shall dispose of you here and now."

He aimed his handgun at Spider.

<i>He's going to be killed! I have to do something…but what?</i>

"Let me ask one thing before you get rid of me."

"Hm?"

"That wind-up key. When you wind up a puppet with that key, it will act like a living being, correct?"

<i>The wind-up key...?</i> I slid my hand into my pocket and touched the key. <i>That's it. With this I can...</i>

"Did she tell you about it?" asked my master suspiciously.

"Just answer my question. But that wind-up key..."

"Master!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.

He looked at me and was dismayed to recognize what I was holding in my hand.

"Please let go of Spider. If you kill him, I will run away and throw this key away somewhere."

The wind-up key was my master's treasure; it was so valuable to him that he would store it in a safe. His attitude changed at once.

"W-Wait…I got it, so give it back to me," he said as he slowly approached me, leaving Spider behind.

"No, Swallowtail! Flee!"

"Tch!" My master clicked his tongue and pointed his handgun at me.

I had made a mistake. I should have ordered him to throw away his gun first.

I was frozen on the spot as his finger operated the trigger—but in the nick of time, Spider bumped into him from behind and fell on top of him.

"Tch! You can move already?!"

My master was faster at standing up and started to beat him with his fists—over and over, like in a fury.

<i>Spider is going to die,</i> I feared. <i>I must help him—</i>

"I'll make sure you won't move for evermore!" my master said and searched his surroundings with his glance.

He didn't find what he was looking for; for it was already in my hands.

I pulled the trigger of the gun I was holding with both my hands.

A gunshot resounded through the building.
[[Image:Tsukumodo_V3_134.jpg|400px|right]]

"Ah...ah..."

My ears were ringing and my head was aching. I was under such pain that I teared up.

Right, I was crying because of the pain. Not because I had shot my master. Not because I grieved about him.

After all, how could I be sad about his death when I was to blame for it?

"Swallowtail..."

"Spider…Spider...!" I cried into his chest.

I didn't know what I was shedding tears for, nor did I care, but I wasn't even granted the time to grieve.

"GOOD GRACIOUS...!" someone shouted. It was the slave dealer's voice. Surely, he had discovered my master's corpse, and he was able to deduce from the situation that we were the culprits.

"M-Murderers...! S-Someone!"

I could hear his footsteps as he ran outside. The police would come soon, I gathered, and catch me and destroy me.

Perhaps, that was for the best. I had nowhere to go anymore, after all.

But I wasn't even granted that.

"Let's flee, Swallowtail!"

Spider took my hand and pulled me along.
</div>

<div style="text-align: center;">◆</div>

"Did you find out anything?" asked Saki—it was her voice and her words—after she had woken up in front of her room, where I had carried her.

"Have you regained control?" I asked back, anxious to know if Swallowtail, that puppet, had left her body.

Saki shook her head, however, and calmly replied, "She is only asleep now. I can still sense her inside me. I suspect that I will lose consciousness again once she awakes," while holding her hand against her chest.

"Does that mean that you will lose your body to her?"

"I don't know. Maybe we will coexist, or maybe either of us is going to disappear."

That had been one of the first things I'd apprehended when I noticed that she was taken over. In fiction it's not at all rare for people's minds to disappear into nothingness when they are taken over by a ghost or something of the like.

As a matter of fact, this exact worst case was about to come true right before my eyes.

"Why did you do that?"

I couldn't keep myself from bringing up that question. Saki was supposed to know exactly about the severe consequences when dealing carelessly with Relics. Though it is true that there was no proof for the wind-up key being one of them, the fact that it was one of Towako-san's purchases should have made us cautious.

That being said, I had considered the key to be fake as well; I wasn't cautious enough, either. However, at least I made sure not to touch it. I was aware of that taboo.

Needless to say, Saki was aware of that just as much as I was.

"I heard a voice," Saki explained.

<i>Now that she mentions it, she did talk of a voice before touching the key.</i>

"Her voice was so sad. She wouldn't stop asking for a reason."

<i>'Why didn't you call my name ten times?'</i>—We still had no answer for that question.

"I wanted to help her."

<i>But that's no reason to act so carelessly,</i> I thought. I could sympathize with Swallowtail too, but I wasn't ready to go that far for her. <i>It's just silly to risk your life out of pity.</i>

"You would have done the same in my position!"

"I don't think so," I countered.

"Oh, really? But you are doing the exact same thing all the time, aren't you? Poking your nose into others' affairs for their sake, no matter how much I'm worrying about you. Do you realize how unfair you are? It's okay if it's you?"

"......"

"But here I am relying on you anyway, aren't I..." she admitted as she gently stroked the string-shrouded key in her hands.

"Tokiya…please teach her—and me—why he wouldn't call her name ten times."

<div style="text-align: center;">◆</div>

<div style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times New Roman, Times, serif">
I ran. I did not think about anything else but running, not taking any breaks, not turning around; I just kept running and escaping until I arrived at a giant underground dumping ground known as the "Island of Dreams."

<i>Island of Dreams?</i> I wondered. <i>That would be the last thing I'd expect to find here.</i>

However, there was probably no more appropriate place for my final destination, for this dumping ground consisted of waste that could not be burnt—like broken puppets.

We entered the "Island" and proceeded further inside. Though hesitant to tread on the disfigured remnants of disposed puppets, we were not allowed to stop.

"Swallowtail. Do you want to rest?"

"I'm fine."

"You don't look fine at all."

I wasn't. My body hurt and felt leaden. I had to struggle with every step not to fall over.

"May I ask you to wind me up, then?" I finally asked.

"...Okay" replied Spider after a short pause and went on to wind me up yet again. I had lost count of how many times we had already repeated this process since entering the dumping ground.

I listened to the rattling of the key as I was wound up.

For some reason, my body just wouldn't stop feeling heavy even though I could normally fulfill my duties without a problem if my master wound me up once a day. Apparently, I did not have much time left.

Why was that?

<i>Is it because there were days when nobody would wind me up while I was locked into the basement? Or have I become broken?</i> I wondered. <i>Yes,</i> I nodded. <i>A puppet who kills her own master is bound to be broken.</i>

"Do you feel better...?" asked Spider.

"Yes. I'm fine now," I answered as I tried to stand up. I failed. I couldn't muster enough strength. I was completely perplexed as to why his winding me up hadn't had any effect. "Spider, I'm sorry. Could you wind me up one more..."

"Swallowtail," he interrupted. "Let's…stop this. This key is of no use for you."

"Eh?"

"What you need is rest and nourishment!"

I couldn't quite follow Spider. I was a mechanized puppet who couldn't move without being wound up.

"Once upon a time, there were two legendary puppet makers called Automaton and Marionette. Their skill remains unparalleled, and therefore the puppet makers of the west and the east alike strove to emulate them—no, they strove to draw closer to the perfection of their creations," Spider began what sounded like a bedtime story.

I decided to listen closely.

"One day, the puppet maker of the east obtained a puppet and a wind-up key, which was said to be a legacy of Automaton. When the key and the puppet that came with it were used together, the puppet would start to move on its own. However, it wouldn't follow a predefined pattern but could understand words and had its own thoughts…right, like a real person. Do you see? Automaton did certainly not turn fellow humans into puppets; he turned common puppets into humans with the mysterious power of that key.

"It was truly the irony of fate that of all people the puppet maker of East Town, an expert of pull-string puppets, had obtained those items. Amused by that fact, the puppet maker took the puppet along to visit their rival in West Town, where they had a conversation during which the other craftsman had no idea he was dealing with a puppet. I can only fathom the vexation and intimidation he must have felt."

"Is that your story? The one you started at the workshop?"

"Yes. I don't know the details, but they seemed to have known each other for a long time. Maybe there was more between them. I was told to go home ahead because they had something to discuss in private. However, my master—the puppet maker of East Town—has not returned ever since."

"Not returned?"

"Yes. I tried sending a telegram, but she only replied that she would not return. However, I couldn't believe that she was being honest, so I came once again to West Town."

"You love your master, don't you?" I asked.

"Huh?"

"After all, you wanted to see her so much that you went to the trouble of traveling all the way here, right?"

"I suppose you're right. Yes, I love her! She is my only support."

I felt antsy.

I had loved my master, too, although I wasn't sure if that still held true. I may have been just another, replaceable puppet to him, but he was my everything.

It was probably the same for Spider.

But in that case, what would happen to me when he returned to the puppet maker of East Town? Would I be left all alone?

"So did you get to see your master?"

"I…met her the other day in town."

<i>Right, now that he mentions it…but I have to be happy for him. After all, he found his way back to his beloved master.</i>

"I see. I'm pleased to hea..."

"But she didn't remember me. And not only that, she has even forgotten that she's the puppet maker of the east."

"Eh? But didn't she repair Miss Ballerina for me?"

"To tell you the truth, I did that," he admitted.

"Really? But then where is your master?"

"Right before my eyes."

I looked around. There was no one else here besides us.

"The puppet maker of West Town stole her memory through drugs, and used her as one of his own puppets," explained Spider

He looked me deep in the eyes.

"Her name is Swallowtail. She is you, and of course she is human."

So, according to Spider, the famous Automaton had used that wind-up key to breathe life into his puppets, and Spider's master had obtained that key somehow, after which she showed it to my master. He then drugged the puppet maker of East Town and turned her into a puppet like what he did to that girl.

And most importantly, <i>I</i> supposedly was that puppet maker.

Come to think of it, Spider had known my name when we first met and was saddened when he realized that I didn't recognize him.

<i>I'm the puppet maker of East Town?</i>

<i>I'm not a puppet made by my master?</i>

<i>I'm—human?</i>

"There is indeed a hole on your back, but that's most likely only for show and can be easily removed."

"But my master told me that winding up a puppet with this key will breathe life into them! That's why I'm able to move freely! Because you have been winding me up, Spider!"

"That's wrong, Swallowtail," he said as he shook his head. "It wasn't you originally who operated that wind-up key. It was me."

"Huh?"

"The puppet maker of West Town didn't know how to correctly use the key, either, or simply misunderstood. That's why he wanted to interrogate me."

"But didn't you just say yourself that Automaton breathed life into his puppets by winding them up with that key?"

"No, you got the wrong idea. It is true that you can give life to puppets with this key. But it's the other way around—only the puppets who wind up other puppets with the key are affected."

<i>It's not the puppets who are wound up using that wind-up key that can move freely?</i>

<i>It's the puppets who wind up puppets with that wind-up key that can?</i>

<i>What? Who is who?</i>

<i>I am the one who was wound up.</i>

<i>Spider is the one who wound up.</i>

Spiders words circled in my head.

My master's words circled in my head.

<i>One more time.</i>

<i>With a clear mind.</i>

I recalled that explanation one more time.

<i>When applied, this key will let a puppet act as if it were alive...</i>

I finally understood.

Only the puppets that would actively wind up another puppet could move freely, not the puppets that are passively wound up.

That also explained why the ballerina and the soldier and all the other puppets in the storeroom could not move freely like a real person. Back then, I had thought that it was simply because there were exceptions to the key's power, but the truth was that we had used it incorrectly all the time.

"There is a special type of wind-up puppets that can only rotate their wrists and is meant to wind up other puppets. You just have to insert the key they are carrying into the key hole of a mechanized puppet, and you're good," he explained as he held out his wrists. "I don't know how Automaton got his hands on this wind-up key, nor do I know how he found out about its usage, but he someday put said wind-up key in the hands of one of those special puppets and had it wind up another one. As a result, the puppet in charge of winding up suddenly started to move freely, and thus became known as Automaton's best creation."

Automaton's most famous work was a common puppet made alive by the key.

"But why…why do you know about all that?"

Spider rotated the wrists he was holding out and replied, "Because I am the puppet that is said to be his best creation."

The puppet the puppet maker of East Town had found together with the wind-up key was right before my eyes. It was Spider.

"The puppet maker of the west—the man who was your master—did not have the technology to create manlike puppets. No, it's not only him—no one, not even Automaton, has the technology it takes. He was only able to create me because he happened to come across that wind-up key by pure chance. In other words…you, Swallowtail, who can move freely, think freely, and talk freely without any need of being wound up, are <i>not</i> a puppet."

He dropped one bombshell after the other. Not in my wildest dreams had I expected that Spider had been made by Automaton himself and that there was such a secret behind that wind-up key.

However, there was one misunderstanding Spider had made.

"Spider. It seems like I'm not Swallowtail—not human—after all."

"I know it's hard to believe..."

"No, that's not it. I believe you. But I still think that I'm not your current master…I'm not human," I said as I held out my left hand like he had done earlier. "A human hand doesn't look like this, does it?"

My left hand had started to crumble, revealing a hollow, puppet-like space underneath. Spider stared at the hollow with blank surprise.

I didn't know why, but my left hand had turned black and fallen off. I was, however, not surprised to see that my hand was hollow inside, because the only point where I disagreed with Spider was the fact that I was human.

While I couldn't explain why, I was sure of my being a puppet.

One thing that proved it was the fact that I could communicate with the other mechanized puppets my master had built. They were but common wind-up puppets; there was no way that a human could understand their words. As a matter of fact, my master could not understand them, either.

But that reasoning was not even necessary; because I was reminded of it every morning.

<i>Krrrz. Krrrz.</i>

From afar I would hear the sound of something being wound up—the sound that served as my alarm clock.

One of my gears would be set in motion and would pass on the rotation to the adjacent gear, which in turn would ignite another one.

Strings emulating the human nervous system would move me.

It was an established fact for me that I was a human-like puppet made of wood, resin, a clockwork motor, gears and strings.

My master must have modeled me on Swallowtail, the puppet maker of the east, when he created me. Perhaps, he had already killed the real Swallowtail—perhaps even before he could rob her of her memory and control her like Spider had suggested.

<i>'And yet again you make me go through all this...'</i> he had said when he was about to shoot me with his gun, and that supported my hypothesis.

I didn't know, however, why he had given me the same appearance as the craftswoman Swallowtail. Because he wanted to gloss over the murder he had committed? Or was there a different type of emotion involved?

A mere puppet like me could not understand how real people felt.

"I can't..." Spider muttered as he reached out for my left hand. However, I pulled my hand back, causing him to give me a puzzled look.

Evading that look, however, I turned around and ran deeper into the "Island of Dreams"—hiding behind a door.

I didn't want him to touch and see me while I was falling apart in such an unsightly manner. In fact, I had lost my right ankle on this short distance.

"Swallowtail?"

"I command you not to open the door!" I ordered Spider, recalling how my master had worded it, and he removed his hand from the door handle. Apparently, it worked.

"Please open the door, Swallowtail. I've realized that you're not human. I was mistaken. But I don't care whether you're a puppet or a person—if you need me to wind you up, I shall do so. No, just use the wind-up key yourself, and you might be saved!"

"Thank you. But it's too late."

Because—

"I no longer have hands to hold the key."
</div>

<div style="text-align: center;">◆</div>

I noticed something when I placed Saki down in front of her room.

Her left hand was in an odd state.

Earlier I had thought she had gotten dirty when she touched the wind-up key, but the black stain was steadily getting bigger.

I took her hand and tried touching the black mark.

"!" I gasped.

Her hand was cold—freezing cold—as if no blood was running through it, as if it were that of a puppet.

"Saki..."

"Yes, I can't move it," Saki unperturbedly said as she looked at the black stain.

I let go of her hand—because I feared that her hand would crumble if not treated with care. Swallowtail had told me of the same symptoms, so I suspected the same thing was happening.

"Maybe we're starting to consolidate," Saki suggested.

"Get her out of your body, quick!"

"That's impossible, Tokiya. She will not yield before hearing the answer to her question."

Saki stroked yet again the string-shrouded wind-up key.

"...Saki. Throw that key away," I ordered after a sudden flash of wit.

"...Why?"

"No ifs, no buts. Throw that key away," I repeated and reached out for it myself because she didn't seem to want to part with it.

Saki pulled her hands away, however, and hid them behind her back.

"That was close," she said nervously. "You were about to get possessed, too."

"Fine, then do what I told you to. Now."

"..."

"Swallowtail will leave your body if you throw it away, am I right?"

Saki's face remained expressionless like always, but in some way or other I could sense that I had hit the bull's eye.

"Throw. It. Away."

"No! She will disappear once and for all if I let go of it even just once!"

"You'll disappear in her stead!"

<i>Why are you so calm? Don't you realize what became of Swallowtail?</i>

I decided to take the wind-up key by force.

Suddenly, a painful noise rang inside my head——

Before me was a door.

I was shouting something.

I was desperately knocking against the door.

The door would not open.

Someone was crumbling into pieces on the other side.

I couldn't see it, but I knew it.

I was shouting something.

I was desperately knocking against the door.

At last, the door was unlocked, as if to announce the end of the show.

I pushed the door open.

Beyond it I did not find Saki but—

"—!"

I recollected myself and reached out, but the momentary flash had delayed me; Saki evaded me by jumping into her room and locked the door.

"Open the door! Hey! Open the door!" I shouted in vain, knocking against the door.
[[Image:Tsukumodo_V3_156.jpg|right|400px]]

Saki was right there on the other side and yet I couldn't reach her.

We were like Spider and Swallowtail; like our counterparts in my vision.

"Open the door! Don't you care what happens to you?!"

"..."

"As you wish! I'll break through it!"

I couldn't wait for her to listen to me; there was no time for persuading.

<i>I'm breaking through the door!</i> I told myself to strengthen my resolve as I stepped back, when suddenly Saki spoke to me from behind the door.

"Tokiya, she passed away before Spider, you know?"

"What of it?!"

"How do you think she felt?"

"I don't care! This is not the time to talk about stuff like..."

"We are blending together. Her feelings are overflowing inside me," Saki said. Swallowtail said. "She was scared. Sad. Full of regrets. But that's not all…there are countless emotions that keep on surfacing and vanishing. She wanted to live on, but she was glad that he was fine.

"But there is one thought that remains crystal clear: She was wondering how it feels to be left behind."

For Swallowtail, that was Spider alone.

"That's why she had him call her name ten times. She wanted to give him the chance to bid her farewell and move on."

Why had he stopped at nine times?

"I want to know," said Saki, "how Spider felt being left behind!"

<div style="text-align: center;">◆</div>

<div style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times New Roman, Times, serif">
What happened after that I have already narrated.

Separated by a door, we spun together a story that would replace the dreams we could not have.

As my body slowly fell apart, part by part, I had to lean against the door while I was shaping the continuation of our story, not wanting to waste a single instant of my remaining lifetime.

Until my right arm fell off, we talked about escaping somewhere far away and live surrounded by puppets.

Until my left arm fell off, we talked about how I would learn how to tailor clothes for our puppets.

Until my right leg fell off, we talked about how we would take them for a walk.

Until my left leg fell off, we talked about how I would also make clothes for Spider.

Until my torso crumbled, we talked about becoming real people.

Until my chest crumbled, we talked about our children.

Finally, until my mouth crumbled, I made my request and my order to him.

<i>Say my name ten times, and as soon as you have said my name ten times, you will forget about me—</i>

However, my wish was not fulfilled.

He only called my name nine times. A tenth time did not follow.

My wish was not fulfilled during the time when I still had ears, when I still had my consciousness, when I still had my life.
</div>

<div style="text-align: center;">◆</div>

"The answer's obvious!" I shouted toward the door.

<i>Why can't you understand how Spider felt when you left him behind?</i>

Not having witnessed that scene, there was naturally no way for me to tell what circumstance hindered Spider from fulfilling her wish.

However, I did understand his feelings.

It was clearer than daylight to me how Spider felt when he was left behind.

There was only one thing that came into question.

<i>There's only one possibility!</i>

"He chose to share your fate if he could not be together with you!"

There was one thing that I had noticed in the story Swallowtail had told me: She mentioned that the wind-up key was the <i>only way</i> to make puppets that could act like real people.

However, there were <i>two different human-like</i> puppets in her world made mention of.

One of them being a wind-up puppet created by Automaton.

The other one of them being a pull-string puppet created by Marionette.

If one of them was Spider, who had operated the wind-up key—the other one had to be Swallowtail. She was probably a puppet given life to by a Relic that is that string.

I suspected that similar to how the eastern puppet maker had obtained Automaton's "wind-up key", the western puppet maker had obtained Marionette's "string".

Since Swallowtail seemed to resemble the eastern puppet maker, it was likely that the other puppet maker had simply redesigned the puppet to look like her. What moved the puppet, however, were Relics—the wind-up key as well as the string.

I did not know <i>why</i> Swallowtail started to crumble—maybe her lifespan as a puppet had expired or maybe the string had been damaged.

However, it was certain that the puppet maker of the west—unfamiliar with the real usage of the wind-up key—had breathed life into her using the string Relic, since it was the only means he could possibly know. She had been held alive by a string that was woven into the wind-up mechanism.

There was a reason why I was so certain of my theory, and that reason was to be found on the other side of the door in Saki's careful hands.

The wind-up key belonged to Spider; her own feelings had dwelled in another vessel—namely, the string surrounding the key.

Saki had not touched the wind-up key, but the string woven around it.

I didn't know what hindered Spider from saying her name ten times. He should have just said it ten times… no, twenty times, a hundred times, a thousand times—I don't care—he should have been by her side and fulfill her last wish.

Again, I did not know why he hadn't done so.

However, I was sure that I was spot-on about his feelings.

After all, he had been together with Swallowtail until the last moment of his life.

"Just look how the string and the key are intertwined!"

"Really...?"

The door opened. Unlike in the long-forgotten past, Swallowtail came out through the door.

Swallowtail did, not Saki.

"You see," she started, "Spider was made to unconditionally follow any order he is given, no matter whose order. That's why I commanded him to say my name ten times, and then forget about me..."

With that, the mystery was solved.

Spider would have had to forget about Swallowtail after fulfilling her wish. By stopping at nine times, he refused to forget, knowing that this was the only way to ignore her order. He had chosen not to forget.

He had probably found a way to break through the door after she had deceased, and put her string around his key.

So as to not be parted for all eternity and by nobody.

He must have stayed with her until the moment the effect of the key wore out.

"Spider..." she cried. Through Saki's body, she could finally shed tears, dearly embracing Spider's wind-up key.

"Don't you cry!"

<i>Don't you cry with that face, those eyes and that voice. I mean, that's totally unfair; you leave me no other choice but to do this even without telling me to...</i>

I looked at the key surrounded by Swallowtail's puppet-string.

"That's your fault, hear me, Saki?" I complained to Saki, even though she couldn't hear me.

With those words, I touched the key.

<div style="text-align: center;">◆</div>

<div style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times New Roman, Times, serif">
Immersed in our own little world, we spun together a clumsy story that would replace the dreams we could not have.

We would escape from the west and the east and go somewhere far away where no one knew us.

We would be surrounded by lots of puppets that we would wind up every morning and live happily with.

I would learn the craft of tailoring and make pretty clothes for them, and on nice days, I would take them for a walk.

"Do I get none?" he would sulk. "Of course I'll make your clothes first," I would reply.

"You can't take all of them with you at once," he would worry. "Then let's decide on an order so that there won't be any quarreling," I would reply.

And one day we would become human and have children and give them puppets for their birthdays every year, we said as we weaved this ephemeral fairy-tale.

A dreamlike tale it was that we raved about, indeed. A tale as valuable and as fragile as a dream, that would never come true.

"Would you... say my name ten times?" I asked him from the other side of the firmly locked door.

To alleviate the fear.

To hear his voice while I was still able to.

To bid farewell.

"And as soon as you have called my name ten times, you will forget about me. Its a... command!"

He remained silent for a while, but eventually he started calling my name.

"Swallowtail," he said, fulfilling my wish.

"Swallowtail," he said, savoring the name as much as he could.

"Swallowtail," he said, fighting against the tears.

"Swallowtail," he said, bracing himself.

"Swallowtail," he said, trying to comfort me with all his might.

"Swallowtail," he said, clearly.

"Swallowtail," he said, dearly.

"Swallowtail," he said, tenderly.

"Swallowtail," he said, as if it were a dream.

And then—

"Swallowtail," he said, as if he had treasured these words for the day we meet again.

He had said my name ten times.
</div>

<div style="text-align: center;">◆</div>

"Looks like they're gone."

"Yes."

I felt as though I had lost something, as though a hole had opened, but seeing how Saki's hand had turned white again gave me reassurance.

Transcending space and time, Spider had fulfilled Swallowtail's wish, borrowing my body.

Transcending space and time, Swallowtail had obtained Spider's love, borrowing Saki's body.

It was a dreamlike story.

"Hey, Tokiya, Saki-chan, take a look at this!" uttered Towako-san as she came running along the corridor toward us, finally leaving her room.

"What's the matter?"

"I completely forgot that there's another Relic I've bought."

She was carrying a mechanized puppet that looked like a ballerina. The puppet was in a somewhat poor condition, and some of its insides were exposed.

Inside, I could recognize the gears and wires the wind-up mechanism consisted of.

"Get a load of this! It acts like a real person if you wind it up!" she said with excitement, but I'd taken the puppet from her before she could finish.

"Tokiya," Saki said.

"Oh, I'm okay. There are only two puppets in the world that behave like real people, right?"

I wound up the puppet with the key that was incorporated at its back.

<i>Krrrz. Krrrz.</i>

The puppet was wound up—

<i>Krrrz. Krrrz.</i>

The wire inside was wound.

After I had wound the ballerina up all the way, she started to rotate on the platform that she was standing on.

"Just a puppet..." Towako-san muttered in a disheartened manner, accepting the ballerina puppet from me, and went back to her room.

"Tokiya?"

"Hm?"

"What would you do in Spider's position?"

After pondering just for a moment, I replied:

"I would search for a way for both to survive!"

In my hands I was holding the wind-up key and the string.

The string was twined around the key, but to me it looked like—the key was twined around the string.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Tsukumodo:Volume 3 Chest|Chest]]
| Return to [[Tsukumodo Antique Shop|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Tsukumodo:Volume 3 Dream|Dream]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Talk:High School DxD:Volume 14

2014-12-21T19:56:16Z

Chocolatkey:

Why is this page locked? I would like to make some grammar edits and was curious. Thanks
-chocolatkey

Talk:High School DxD:Volume 14

2014-12-21T19:55:41Z

Chocolatkey: created and added my question

Why did this page get locked? I would like to make some grammar edit and was curious. Thanks
-chocolatkey

User:Chocolatkey

2014-11-27T07:48:44Z

Chocolatkey: change

Hi. I like contributing to this wiki when I spot a mistake in grammar, spelling or punctuation while enjoy the reads. This is my thanks to BakaTsuki and its community for the hard work they do, providing me with tons of LN content from Japan. I am a native English speaker and speak/write French and German at a proficient level. I had about 4 years of Chinese teaching. The characters are the same for Kanji which gives me a slight advantage while trying to learn Japanese.

Thanks for the hard work everyone

--Chocolatkey (Henry)

User:Chocolatkey

2014-11-06T17:12:44Z

Chocolatkey: added everything

Hi. I like occasionally contributing to Wikipedia when I spot a mistake or adding information on Anime-related articles. Most people just use Wikipedia and don't contribute even when they see a mistake. This is my thanks to Wikipedia for helping with my education. I program in Java and recently got addicted to VB (it's so easy) and if I could have it my way, I would alternate every day between anime and manga and programming. And maybe some webdesign to, occasionally. My Website is chocolatkey.com.

I decided to create an account here to correct spelling mistakes and minor grammatical errors i come across when enjoying the LNs. Thanks for the hard work guys!

Once again, I'm just another user on this vast communications network given the title of "World Wide Web" or WWW for short. My presence is but one of the many books in this gigantic library. Each book has its unique story, a story of an existence, a life. My life and my struggles are nothing special. In fact, I am a very lucky and grateful individual who, having been born and raised in an environment some could only dream of, now spends his time staying up past his curfew thinking out the very words you now are reading. I am no one special. I am no sadistic superhero, no idolized inventor, no proud politician, no envious engineer, no exquisite economist, no deranged director, no trifling teacher, no optimistic ophthalmologist, no raving radiologist, no crazy cardiologist, no dictating doctor of any sly sort, no freaky forester, no macho mechanic, no grievous general, no perfect pilot. No, nothing of the sort. I might aspire to become something of that sort one day; but for now, I am satisfied with my current state of mind and laziness. So now, whether you're my senpai or my kouhai, a woman or a man, I wish you a wonderful stay. For taking some of your precious little time on this planet, I thank you in all the languages I can:

Thank you. Danke vielmals. Merci beaucoup. Grazie mille. 谢谢。ありがとうございました。

I know, it was weird...

--Chocolatkey (Henry)