VOLUME 5
Chapter 4 – Only the most devout believers can become true antis
Part I
“Hmm…”
The cla.s.sroom was abuzz with activity during lunchtime.
It was five days after that Sunday evening we spent at the park.
Come to think of it, isn’t this the first cla.s.sroom scene we’ve had in this school-based slice-of-life light novel series?
“Hmmm…”
But I put those nonsensical thoughts of unclear origin aside, along with the idle chatter besieging me from the groups blooming like a field of flowers around the surrounding tables, and diligently continued my established habit of reading text alone.
Not just any kind of text though.
“You’re still reading that?”
“Mmhmm.”
Specifically, text on tattered printer paper.
“I got you the usual. Curry bun and black coffee.”
“Thanks. I’m all out of small change, put it on my tab.”
“Ooh, does that mean I’ve leveled up from Cla.s.smate B to Aki-kun’s Minion A now?”
“…I’m sorry, okay? I’ll pay! I’ll even throw in a bit of interest, so forgive me, Katou!”
Katou, as per her M.O. lately, ignored the words I had to say after some serious soul-searching prompted by my indifferent treatment of her and sat in the seat in front of me, tearing open the packaging containing her own bread.
That being said, there’s also something weird about the way people have been treating the both of us recently.
We never used to attract any significant attention eating together like this. Anybody who had business usually wouldn’t hesitate to barge in, but it seems that getting through lunch without any interruption is becoming the norm.
I guess this means that the people around us are beginning to acknowledge our relationship as master and servant… even though I had clearly denied it not too long ago.1
“So, did you figure out anything?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“You guess what?”
“Utaha-senpai’s scenario is really good.”
“You know, I’m getting this strong feeling of déjà vu. I feel like at this point I’m supposed to say ‘Yes, yes, Devotee No.2’ or something like that?”
“…I guess you are, but maybe you forgot that part about the listener getting really irritated after he hears that?”
And so continued the days of me reading and rereading Utaha-senpai’s two scenarios over and over and over and over and over again.2
As a result of reading since last Sunday, the size of my eyes had been reduced to the thickness of plates.3
“I’m not planning on losing on that end either.”
Iori’s whisper, genuine and unpretentious, echoes repeatedly in my head – on the way to school in the morning, during the lunch break we’re having now, during circle activities, on the way home, and even when I’m writing the game script at home at night.4
…And even while I’m in cla.s.s, though I never told you that.
As soon as I find a bit of time, I’m going to find out what he actually meant.
“Aren’t you overthinking this just a bit? I think they’re both pretty good.”
“The question of how well your opinion on the game can be trusted aside, yeah, I think I’m overthinking this too.”
“And in turn I’ll set aside my opinion about the arrogance of otakus and ask you why you don’t-”
“I know… but I can’t help it.”
“Sigh…hmm?”
I know I’m thinking about this too much.
But no matter how many times I read and reread, the greatness of each of Utaha-senpai’s scenarios never seems to diminish.
The entertainment value of the first, the storytelling of the second – both are equally compelling.
But anyway, how can Iori be so sure of himself?
How can he think he’s already won when we haven’t even released a trial version?
How can he so simply discount the awesomeness of our scenario like that?
It has to be the product of Iori’s overconfidence and loose tongue, or an attempt to trap me into a psychological war with myself, or-
“Ooh…”
But it can’t be.
I know for sure Iori wasn’t lying or making any empty boasts then.
…Funny that I should be the first to trust him over this. I have no choice but to follow my instincts.
The same sincerity doesn’t apply to his att.i.tude towards invention though.
He’s the kind of trash that will- no, can only judge the value of things creators produce using their own blood and sweat by the price they could fetch and nothing else.
But if Iori’s so confident about winning, it means then that the game he’s making is almost certain to be successful, at least commercially.
I’ve had to learn that the hard way too many times before.
“Say Katou, I think- what the?!”
As I was putting all these thoughts together in my head, I finally noticed that Katou had disappeared from her seat in front of me.
…Look, it’s not that I’m treating her badly on purpose again, okay? It’s not my fault her stealth ratings are so high.
* * *
“Kasumigaoka-senpai?”
“Huh?!”
“What’s the matter? Is it so strange that I should make an appearance at this second years’ cla.s.sroom?”
“Ka-Katou-san…”
“Should we call Aki-kun?”
“No, that won’t be necessary… no need to trouble Ethics-kun.”
“Yes, that would cause quite a stir. I don’t really care about Aki-kun’s reputation, but I’m worried about yours, Kasumigaoka-senpai.”
“…I don’t really care for what others have to say about me.”
“Anyway, I haven’t seen you around a lot at circle meetings recently, senpai. The new novel’s really keeping you busy, hmm?”
“A-ah, yeah, but, you know, I’m also… not sure how to describe it… like I’m letting it ferment, or maybe I’m afraid to start or I’m stuck in a blue funk or…”
“I think I’m supposed to respond with ‘Huh? What was that?’ here like a hard-of-hearing main character, right?”
“…You’ve come under some really bad influences, haven’t you?”
“Are you asking me about that or Aki-kun?”
“Ah, well, actually…”
“Yes?”
“How’s Ethics-kun doing?”
“Are you sure you want to ask me and not him?”
“…Is that bad?”
“Hmm, well I guess it’s alright. He’s been reading your scenarios a lot.”
“…I don’t remember them being that long.”
“He seems to be having trouble deciding.”
“…Deciding?”
“On which to use.”
“So…what has he concluded?”
“Nothing, which is why he’s still reading your scenarios over and over again.”
“S-So…can I take that to mean there’s still hope?”5
“Hmm? What was that? I really couldn’t hear what you said this time.”
“Oh, it’s nothing that you could do anything about. Or rather, it’s nothing that would mean anything to you.”6
“Does that mean I’m being discounted or being identified as a threat?”7
“…Whatever.”
* * *
“Hmm…”
With the pa.s.sing of time, cla.s.s had somehow ended, and I found myself on the way back home from school.
In lieu of Utaha-senpai’s completion of the scenario, and Eriri preparing to enter the ill.u.s.tration slaughterhouse, the usual weekend circle activities have been suspended as of this week.
“Hmmm…”
Because of that, the evening sun was higher than usual in the sky as Katou and I strolled towards the station.
Despite the several hours pa.s.sing, I had gotten no closer to making a decision on the two scenarios.8
Something else had changed though.
“Hmmmm…”
“Stop stealing my parts, Katou!”
“Ah, I’m sorry, Aki-kun.”
The person who now held the papers embossed with text muttering to herself was no longer myself, but Katou.
“Katou, what’s up? Why the sudden motivation?”
“I don’t think I was ever unmotivated to begin with.”
“I know, but…”
Katou made it back to cla.s.s right before lunch break ended and stole the scenarios away from me before reading them through the rest of the afternoon.
I don’t think that qualifies as something that she would have done “to begin with.”
“Say, Aki-kun.”
“Yes?”
“What’s the hidden meaning behind Kasumigaoka-senpai’s second scenario?”
Leaving my many doubts intact, Katou recklessly pushed the attack.
Handing the printouts of the original she had just finished back to me, Katou immediately directed her attention to those of the second.
“Hidden…meaning?”
“What does it actually mean to choose one of the two?”
“I…”
Aren’t we just going to choose the more interesting one and sell it?
Wait, no, I can’t simplify it like that.
Only after I spend an untold amount of time reading and rereading both scenarios can I decide which is more compelling, which to accept, which to sell… which I haven’t decided yet… but only then will I be able to do them justice.
“More than anything, Tomoya-kun, which one do you prefer?”9
It’s escalated to the point where I’m not just deciding between the two anymore.
The pride of the first in the perfect cuteness of the ponytailed Meguri and its extraordinary wholesomeness as a romance game.
The pride of the second in the tear-jerking affection of the long-banged Ruri, working its edge as a compelling and deep love story.
But no matter how much I compare the two texts, I can only seem to either tremble with excitement or find my eyes br.i.m.m.i.n.g with tears.
“In the end… we may never be able to decide without actually playing the game.”
Man, I have to stop making these kinds of excuses for myself.
“That’s it, Aki-kun!”
“What? What’s it?”
At least Katou’s not going to let me run away anymore.
Or…not?
The light gleaming in Katou’s eyes weren’t the evil sort, like the kind you’d have if you were about to catch a cornered rat. It was of pure elation, like when you finally found the path forward you had been searching for.
Either way, her character’s unusually noticeable today.
“If we can’t decide without actually playing the game, then isn’t that exactly what we should do?”
“Yeah, but the game still hasn’t- wait, you mean-”
“Mmhmm.”
“You mean we should sell it while it’s still incomplete?!”
“Ah…”
I felt chills up my spine as Katou made her terrifying suggestion.
“That kind of thinking is dangerous, Katou!”
Betraying the users and succ.u.mbing to the temptation of money – the forbidden fruit creators like us must never taste.
You might be able to get away with your ill-gotten gains once, but your subsequent works will never be able to escape the death sentence of a vile reputation.
“That’s not what I’m saying, Aki-kun. What I’m saying is-”
“So you still insist on carrying out your plan to fake an accidental overwriting of the master copy with the trial version to the bitter end?!”
“Erm…maybe you’d like to take a breather, Aki-kun?”
Hey, people have really done that before, you know?
(Un)deadpan’s Wonderland:
1Deadpan died momentarily after translating this sentence and undeadpan takes over from here.
2Undeadpan guarantees that the number of ‘over’s here are correct.
3It’s not racist if the author himself is Asian.
4That’s strange, there’s also this voice in undeadpan’s head that keeps telling him to translate more stuffs.
5Oh. My. G.o.d. It all makes sense now. Smart people will see where this is going.
6Noooooooo, where are my Team Megumi bros?
7Yeah, you better be scared Kasumigaoka Utaha!
8Why am I not surprised?
9Undeadpan can’t be sure, but it’s more than likely this is a flashback to when Utaha was still writing A Metronome in Love.