Opening
Part 1
When one cos across a yet unopenable door in an RPG.
Have you ever thought this?
’If I could use magic, I should easily be able to blast through’, or the like.
And yet you can’t. Why is that?
It’s because of the ’rules’.
--Gas are different from reality.
There are those who claim that they cannot make the distinction.
But even they have likely felt at tis that *sothing is different*.
What separates reality from that which isn’t reality- is probably this.
There has been much discussion on whether sports are gas or reality, but
that’s besides this topic.
The reason is that the difference between gas and reality is sothing more
fundantal than that.
It is the ’absoluteness of rules’.
Taking the example from earlier, if you went with the realistic line of thought
of ignoring the rules.
You could blow past all doors and the like without hesitation.
What if the world is in a crisis, and sowhere there is a door which requires
a missing key to open?
If it’s alright to grab everything behind that door as long as you have the key,
there’s no reason why you can’t do the sa without it, even if you do wind
up accused ofso property destruction.
How about when faced with a door that not even magic capable of defeating
the demon king can open, why not just destroy the wall?
If you bypa.s.s the super tough ’door’ like this, you could go and challenge the
demon king right off the bat.
Even if you just whack away at the rock with the legendary sword, surely it
should be the rocks which would eventually give way.
However, that’s never the case. Why is that?
Because that simply *wouldn’t be interesting*.
Yes, the rules are set so that a fun journey can be created culminating in a
’final objective’.
In chess it’d be checkmating the king, in soccer it’d be scoring more goals,
and in an RPG it’d be defeating the last boss.
That being said, if you circ.u.mvent the rules to arrive at the ’final objective’
early, that takes all of the fun out of it.
Therefore, the rules in gas have a ’shared absoluteness’,
--I’m sure you can see by now.
Reality-- doesn’t have a ’winning condition’.
There aren’t events completed by fulfilling certain conditions, nor peace
brought about by defeating certain enemies.
The couple won’t finally end up living happily ever after.
Whether blessed or unfortunate, rich or poor, all end up eting the sa
’dead end’ eventually without exception.
Therefore, people have always made their own ’win conditions’, and made
their own rules to suit that end.
Whether it’s by ama.s.sing wealth, or leading a comfortable life, by making
things a win or lose scenario they’ve already lost......
Now, let’s imagine.
You’re in a ga of chess, when all of a sudden your opponent at his own
convenience made a ridiculous move.
Without even placing your king in check, he acts as if he had already won.
......How about it. Wouldn’t you want to punch him?
What if there’s a ga where everyone played like that?
Yes-- that would be, ’reality’.
--Are gas and reality really different?
That’s the case, without a doubt.
To those who would confidently proclaim so, I’d like to answer with this.
I want nothing to do with you, ugh----
Part 2
Eight 23 inch computer screens.
That had been their whole world.
A small world, with an equatorial diater of 13000 km.
The world covered by a fiber-optic cable network.....Earth.
The concept of ’distance’ had been lost in this world.
When connected to the internet, one can transmit their desires around the
globe seven and a half tis per second.
You can connect even to the very ends of the world.
--People now say that the world is infinite.
--But what they an is that the world has infinitely shrunk.
With a single click of the mouse, one has everything one needs in life.
The piles of empty boxes made the once s.p.a.cious room seem cramped.
The displays emitted an artificial light.
Or rather, the inside of the monitors did.
The hexadecimal world constructed therein had been ’their’ world-- their
everything.
Further crowding the room were countless PCs and ga consoles.
The bundles of wires connecting everything, and the plethora of controllers
made walking a major hazard.
Illuminated by that light were two emotionless faces.
The two were waging fierce battles against strangers from every corner of the
globe.
One was a black haired, black eyed young man.
One was a white haired, red eyed young girl.
Utterly absorbed in their screens, the room was silent.
The headphones of the two provided all the sound of ’their own world’.
All that could be heard was the inorganic whirring of machines, and endless
clicking.
--They thought the world had narrowed.
The electronic network brought the world to their feet without them needing
to take a single step.
But that led to a tsunami of information exceeding the recognition of
individuals.
That vast ocean of information had not led to the infinite, but rather to the
contrary.
The result had been an ’information overload’, which had caused people to
retreat to their own narrow worlds of desired data.
An infinite number of tiny, closed worlds.
Isolated, smaller than ever, spa.r.s.ely populated realities.
Leading to place not here, but a truly limitless different world.
Reflected in the pupils of the two was a ’different world’ existing in the
monitors.
Worlds which, with enough concentration, offered the illusion that they had
truly entered another world.
They were not social outcasts, chained within a 16 tatamiroom.
Sotis they were the heroic saviors of a nation.
Sotis the leaders of the world’s largest guild.
Sotis magicians, elite specialforces, or a.s.sa.s.sins.
Typically, the world would revolve around them.
A world with ’definite clear conditions’.
The young man heaved a sigh.
Eight 23 inch computer screens.
That had been their whole world, for an endless amount of ti.
These siblings, ’undefeated’ in every ga they had ever played.
Within the small world of those monitors, were almost an urban legend.
Within the ’small world’ to which they belonged, they were the sa as the
heroes which they played in gas.
But the mont they looked away, everything was the sa as always.
Artificial, cramped, quiet. Fitting for social outcasts......an isolated, small
world.
And the young man submitted to the unease which would always well up.
A sense of jamais vu
[1]
, [is this really our room?]
Then, he would think further.
Without evidence, rely vaguely, fleetingly, wondering.
"Is this really...where we belong."
"Indeed, you are correct."
However a voice had responded to those questions in his mind.
Before him stretched their own familiar world.
The only thing out of place was a smiling, innocent, unfamiliar boy.
--No. Was he really that unfamiliar?
As mories began to unravel, the boy continued before he could make a
sound.
"This isn’t the place where you belong. Which is why......"
And then----
"Which is why, I will[Let you be reborn]."
Past and present, fiction and reality.
All of his recollections were still hazy.
Recognition beca blurred, and as he began to lose his grip on the world.
What brought him back all of a sudden, was the sa as always.
"............ah, I see. [I’m dreaming]."
And then things would end like all other ’dreams’ did.
While unsure of just when it had ended, he felt his consciousness coming
awake......
Part 3
Kingdom of Elchea, Capital of Elchea.
After repeated losses in gambling, territory after territory had been ceded and
this lone city was now the final bastion of humanity.
Within the corridors of the royal castle of this city, walking along with an
unsteady gait, was a single girl.
She was Stephanie Dora.
Granddaughter of the late king, with red hair and blue eyes, she was royalty
of a venerable line.
--and yet.
The circles under her eyes and the pallor of fatigue robbed her of her inherent
dignity.
With a suspicious smile, heading dizzily towards the ’King’s’ chambers with
playing cards in hand, she resembled nothing less than......a ghost.
"Fu, fufufu......today at last, is the day of judgent!"
The day had just dawned, but it seed she had been up all night.
Stephanie-- also known as Steph, laughed disturbingly.
"Sora, you’re awake aren’t you! It’s already morning!"
Boom boom.
With her free hand, Steph noisily knocked at the doors of the ’King’.
But.
"Bee~~p. The person you are after is pretending to be out."
"Hah?"
The voice coming out from the room wasn’t the voice of the ’King’.
It was a strange ’take it easy’ voice, delivered flatly in the tone of a synthetic
woman.
"Please step away from the door as soon as possible, and do not enter
without permission."
"--Sora, are you ssing with ?"
"No, I’m seriously serious."
"Enough already! I’m going to enter without permission!"
He was probably just playing gas in there anyway-- no, there was no way
he could be doing anything else.
She fought back her drowsiness.
And broke down the doors with a kick--or rather.
She forcefully kicked the doors open, and entering into the bedroom of the
king, what she saw was...
"Sorry I’m sorry I wasn’t doing it on purpose I really was in a bit of a tight
spot just now and I didn’t an anything bad by it I really an that sorry so
sorry I’m so sorry!"
--Prostrated flat on the bed, the profusely apologizing ’King’.
Wretched, with tears in his eyes, s.h.i. vering.
Steph however, already familiar with this sight, looked around for the guide.
The room was already flooded with countless gas, such that it was
impossible to take a step anywhere.
Seeing sothing which should be present missing, Steph muttered.
"......Ara? Sora, you’re alone?"
"Yes I’m alone I’m lonely I have no reason to live surely my being born was a
mistake I’m sorry I’ll hang myself quietly after you leave so for now please--"
"......Nii......? You’re...noisy......"
Interrupting the nonstop machine gun chatter of the ’King’-- ’Sora, was a
tired voice.
Recognizing that voice, Stephanie let out another sigh.
"Co on, s.h.i. ro’s right here isn’t she. What are you doing?"
"--eh?"
At that point, Sora looked over startled at ’s.h.i. ro’.
It appeared she had fallen out of the bed while sleeping.
Arching up from the bedside was a girl white as snow.
He imdiately recognized the figure of that girl whose white hair trailed all
the way to the ground.
The sight of Sora suddenly clinging on to that figure was-- beyond words.
"Aa~~~~~~hhh, thank goodness! Sheesh, what a troubleso sister!
Because of your sleeping habits your brother almost hanged himself you
know, what would you have done then!"
Clinging to his sister-- to ’s.h.i. ro’, he let loose a stream of tears.
Not being good with mornings......being the only reason that could be thought
of for her actions, his sister replied coldly with her eyes still halfshut.
"......Nii......this is, overkill......"
"Wha!? Do you not understand how your brother feels!?"
Standing up suddenly Sora began to speak with wild gestures.
"Then tonight! After s.h.i. ro’s gone to sleep, I’ll go hide in the closet! When you
wake up, I won’t----"
"............H......hic......uuu......"
Before he could even finish, however, s.h.i. ro began to cry.
"You see!? You understand how your brother feels, right!"
"......I’m, sorry......my sleeping habits......are bad, I’m...sorry......"
Seeing his sister apologizing so sincerely while sobbing, he stroked her head.
"No, I’m sorry. I went too far. Thinking such bad thoughts, I’m a terrible
brother."
"......hic......o, kay......"
With that, the man who had just earlier been shaking and apologizing like a
newborn gazelle.
Now haughtily and forcefully turned around to Steph, and began throwing out
orders.
"So, the one at fault is ultimately this bed! Steph, dispose of this at once and
spread out so futons!"
"Wh, whaaaat!?"
Steph could never get used to the crazy antics of these siblings.
Having such an outrageous demand placed on her, she responded in a strange
voice.
"I-it, it’s the royal bed! Do you know just how long it’s history go--"
"Nope. But for the purposes ofsleeping it separated s.h.i. ro from , so it’s
unsuitable. It’s tilted, isn’t it?"
"......Nod nod."
s.h.i. ro unhesitatingly showed her consent.
---This was just ridiculous.
"Th, that one bed is enough to buy a whole house you know!?"
"Then sell it and let’s buy a house. A happy family will be born, isn’t that
wonderful?"
"Y-y-y-y-you, youuu--"
Faced with a tyrant, Steph was trembling at a loss for words, when suddenly
Sora spoke.
"Ah, that’s right. The things in this room belonged to the previous king-- in
other words your grandfather’s, Steph."
As if testing what her reaction would be.
Sora then tapped his fist into his palm, like he just had a great idea.
"Then let’s do this. From today onwards, this will be your room."
"Wha-- ......th, this is the ’King’s bedroom’ you know!?"
"I am the king. Wherever I sleep will be the ’King’s bedroom’."
The ’King’ briskly began to list things off.
"Just empty a room used by the maids. Well, leave the bedding and mattress
of course."
As Sora continued saying that a futon, if available, would be more preferable,
Steph’s reasoning was unable to keep up for a mont.
Her reaction was severalseconds late.
"T-the maid’s rooms, are ’cabins’ outside the castle you know!? They’re made
of wood you know!?"
"Hm? I can’t let that pa.s.s you know, don’t underestimate wood!"
Sora cleared his throat with a cough.
"Breathable, hygroscopic, temperature-regulated, shockproof, wind-resistant,
surpa.s.sing all other materials, a fortress for hikikomoris! As long as you’re
careful with fire, there is nothing better to construct a j.a.panese house from--"
At that point, it seed he thought ofsothing.
Sora proceeded to retrieve the PC connected to a solar charger by the
window.
"Ah, as I thought. There’re textbooks on j.a.panese architecture in here."
"......Huh?"
"Right, let’s make a ’house’ on the castle grounds!"
"Eh......?"
While Steph was left far behind, Sora continued heatedly.
"What do you think s.h.i. ro, our dream ho! Wouldn’t that be a great idea!?"
"......Place......where?"
"Fufu, I already know everything you have in mind, my little sister!!"
Although it seed the brother had only just started considering that point
too.
With a flourish, he pointed to the castle courtyard outside the window.
"Right there is closer to the castle than the maids’ place, and it won’t cause a
problem for the workers. It’s close to the castle kitchens too, so we can
continue being hikikomoris as usual! The greenery ans the air is fresh, and
it’s not crowded! And thanks to the castle walls, the morning sun won’t
disturb us! Is there any more divinely situated place than this!!"
After Sora’s proud speech, s.h.i. ro slowly raised a hand.
"......No....objections......"
"Alright! And so, Steph."
"Eh, ah, y-yes?"
Steph could only flap her mouth in bewildernt.
"Find so craftsn of wooden buildings. Hm, I don’t know what the
building code for this world would be, so select say, a staff of twenty of the
best? Just tell them to make it out of wood and leave the rest to them."
--Now for the late introductions.
This is the King and Queen of the final kingdom of ’Imanity’, Elchea-- Sora
and s.h.i. ro, a pair ofsiblings.
They don’t set a foot outside the room all day. All they do is play gas,
read, and make unreasonable demands.
--Very much like ’tyrants’.
"~~~~~~~~~~~~~Soraaa! We’re having a ga!"
Dealing with these despots, Steph finally lost all patience.
Gripping the playing cards in her hand, she glared at Sora.
For those tyrants-- yes, today was the ’day of judgnt’.
--But.
"--......Ohh?"
Hearing that word ’ga’, Sora’s eyes sharpened.
At that instantaneous change, which Steph had already seen countless tis,
she shuddered.
The crying, shaking man from earlier had beco a b.u.mbling brother.
With a single switch.
As ifseeing straight through one’s heart, one’s intentions, and holding all in the
palm of his hand.
Enough to give offsuch an illusion, a machine-like calmness.
Yet his face was that of a ga master, befitting the king of war.
--But before that.
Staring into his eyes, Steph instantly felt her heart leap and her face heat up.
She had challenged him to a ga in this very sa matter once before.
And the ’price’ reminding her that she had been utterly beaten, was even now
firmly engraved on her mind.
In the face of that, her montum lost its steam.
Seeing Steph avert her gaze, reddened from ear to ear, Sora confird.
"You wish to challenge
to an ’Acciente’ ga, is that what you an?"
"Y, yes, t-that’s exactly right!"
"......the [Ten Oaths]......number, five......the challenged...party has the
right......to decide...the contents of the ga....."
s.h.i. ro recited the rule from mory.
--They were the absolute rules that G.o.d had decreed for this world.
Unbreakable in any situation, absolute and immovable.
"Heh~~on top of that, ? You challenge
to a ga?"
--the ga had already begun.
As Sora seized the psychological advantage, Steph was unable to get out the
words she had previously prepared.
"A, a~ra, surely humanity’s strongest gar-sama would not be afraid to
compete with
at m-my, strengths?"
Thinking desperately, Steph blurted out the counterasure she had been
practicing over and over.
But she couldn’t keep a quaver out of her voice.
With a wry smile, Sora let out a bold laugh.
"I see, so you ca at least a bit prepared this ti-- so, what is it you ’wish
to wager’?"
Gas played according to the [Ten Oaths] demanded absolute compliance.
What one gambled could said to be part of the tactics.
"Fufufu......if I win--"
As if waiting for that question, Steph spoke without hesitation.
"Sora will [beco a citizen and stop ddling in my
affairs]!"
Ba---------m!
......Steph declared as she pointed.
But the only response was silence.
"H, huh......?"
A deathly quiet reigned over the king’s bedroom.
"I see it’s co down to this
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