Chapter 81

Beyond Two-Dimensional (damn hot) ──Eh…? What the heck, this kind of world actually exist…!? When I first came in contact with the world

Beyond Two-Dimensional

(damn hot)

──Eh…? What the heck, this kind of world actually exist…!?

When I first came in contact with the world of fanfiction novels in the sea of the internet, what floated to the surface of my heart was pure curiosity like “What is this, what is this!?” and “This is so much fun!”

That’s how much the thing called fanfiction had expanded my world back then.

In the internet, there were so many stories I never knew, set in the anime and manga I loved, spun out by people whose names I didn’t know.

Back then, I was such an pure kid that I actually believed GT* had a sequel called AF, so I couldn’t really tell the difference between official and fan creations. As a result of my sense of values working in a positive direction, reading fanfiction was like watching “a continuation of a dream” and gave me a warm feeling. (tl note: dragon ball gt)

When I first stepped into that community──I had fun and read all sorts of stories I could lay hands on among a vast collection of works that I could never finish in just a year or so.

Among them, when I encountered the concept of original protagonist (オリジナル主人公)──shortened to “original protagonist (オリ主)”──I was so obsessed that I even forgot about sleep. I felt like an adolescent boy awakening to evil pleasures.

At the time and even now, I get excited seeing an original protagonist use their cheat powers to pulverize the bad events from the original story. Looking back now that the world of web novels have progressed, those nonsensical fanfictions might be what people would’ve made fun of as “the worst kind of original protagonist,” but… to my eyes, those stories seemed so sparkling.

Sure, compared to professionals, the writing skills were clumsy, and the contents might have been an incoherent mess based solely around how cool the original protagonist was. But the author’s feelings for their original work, their earnest love for creative writing, and most of all, thoughts like “I want the story of the work I love to be like this” or “I wish that work’s sad development went like this instead,” coupled with my own self-projection, strongly appealed to my heart.

Maybe it was an emotion brought about by the nature of online works, where the distance between creators and readers are short, for better or worse.

Back then, harboring pure guilt that I had become a bad child, for the first time, I became completely absorbed in a story until the date changed.

The first web novel I read out of pure curiosity was way, way easier to get read Japanese textbooks.

By the time I reached the final chapter, dawn had broken, and I felt something I’d never felt before, a strong and mysterious excitement.

Until then, I reading has never been my strong point.

My parents had recommended reading as a form of entertainment I could enjoy while recuperating, but I just couldn’t keep myself concentrated and would always end up giving up halfway. It’s not that I hated it, though.

I still remember my sister getting exasperated upon seeing me like that, saying, “You really can’t sit still, huh… Even though you look like someone who’s suited to books,”

Well, my sister only ever read shoujo manga and never read novels. Plus, the ones she did read always had this faint scent of roses for some reason… I’m a capable younger brother, so I never pointed it out, but the first time I saw the cover of her favorite book, I drew back a little.

…Well, looking back, I guess the simple answer was: If you can’t read literary fiction, just read light novels instead. But for some reason, I found it embarrassing to read those. At least, back then I did.

I was a pure and naive boy back then, after all! When it came to light novels, I imagined beautiful girl characters, and I used to be so embarrassed when picking those up from the bookstore, like the books with the cover drawn from an angle that made it feel like you could almost see up their short skirts!

I would’ve been embarassed if someone gossiped about me reading stuff like that... but there was also a part of me that was ostentatious about it, or maybe I had some unconscious prejudice against the culture of light novels from the very beginning.

Even though I was inwardly super interested when I saw them lined up in storefront! Back in sixth grade, when I went to the local bookstore with my family, I thought, (Wow, the onee-san on that cover is so pretty... I really want that book...), but I couldn’t bring myself to bring it up with anyone and left the store tears.

If I had to use a metaphor for how I felt back then, it would be something like boy who actually likes Magician Girl more than her master, but doesn’t want his classmates to think, “This guy’s a perv!” so he insists, “I like her Master so I also have her on my deck!”

My friend, who usually proclaimed themself to be a sensible person, agreed with this mentality, so it’s probably not a rare experience.

Even I had such an lovely past. Nowadays I try to act cool in a different direction, though.

…Well, on that note, I felt that the biggest otaku guy among us, Chubs… my brother-in-law, was an amazing guy with one look.

On my first day of school, that guy secured a seat right in the very front row and boldly spread out the cover of a racy light novel. Without any dust jacket.

Seeing his posture that seemed to say like he was not in any way ashamed of in his tastes, I was show a new sense of values and thought, “Wow, so this is how all my male classmates are…” But my sister, who went to school with me, immediately denied it with a “No way in hell.”

But at that moment, I was deeply moved by his manly figure, as if he were saying, “This is how an otaku ought to be.” I was a pure boy, easily influenced by all sorts of things at that age.

But there’s no doubt that that experience led me to a happy life.

It's okay to like what you like──It was him who taught me something so obvious. Because I liked that earnestness, the way he stayed true to himself, I felt at ease entrusting my sister to him… Well, that’s the memory. “YARUO” really was a great nickname, if I do say so myself. (tl note: yaruo’s name means “do it”)

Thanks to my brother-in-law, who was in the same school year as me, and the joyful friends I met during junior high school life, I gradually became more open about my otaku interests, but let’s put that to the side and get back on track. To online fanfiction (二次創作) novels──that is, fanfiction(fanfiction). (tl note: 二次創作 means “derivative work” and fanfiction means “side story.” Both refer to creative works based on existing works, but side stories are mainly in the form of novels, whereas derivative works are not only novels but can be developed in a variety of forms such as illustrations, doujinshi, and animation. I’ve been translating both as “fanfiction” because side story is just a derivative work in novel format)

Back then, while I was interested in light novels, I couldn’t buy any, so it was through the medium of web novels that I first came into contact with “a thick story written in light prose.”

Picture books were too thin, and I wasn’t at that age so I didn’t read them.

Thick books couldn’t make me stay focused so I couldn’t read them.

Light novels covers are embarrassing so I didn’t want to be seen reading them.

So for me, a shitty demanding reader, web novels were the perfect medium to fulfill my request.

Sure enough, I fell down the rabbit hole, and before long, I was writing fanfictions myself. Well, they weren’t even remotely interesting──but I had fun.

Yeah, it was fun. fanfiction as a hobby brought color to my life, right next to anime and manga. I think I’ve always had a longing for “fantasy stories,” ever since I was a little, when I wanted to become an actor.

Even if it was as like a penguin wishing it could fly.

──If I were to be reborn… I want to be an original protagonist [hero] in someone’s story. (tl note: from now on, if you see something like this, it means this is read as [this])

I remember saying nonsense like that some time in the past to my friends who came to visit me when my condition worsened. “Sounds good! Let’s do it together in about a hundred years!” “Come to think of it, I’ve never seen a story where a bunch of old men who’ve lived full lives get isekai’d all at once.” “Obviously because no one wants that.” Their thoughtful words back then were quite mature for them.

Of course, I didn’t say it out of any negative reason, such as wanting to hurry up and bid this painful life farewell.

But I did think it that it would’ve been nice to reincarnate into another world. I was half-heartedly praying that if the chance did come…

It’s just, well… At that time, I’d already decided I wouldn’t live as ──── [the past me] anymore.

Although my body was weak, I was surrounded by my beloved family and friends and had happy memories… The one who was able to live through that precious life was the past me. The man named ────.

So I didn’t want to do anything that would deny my past life, and I didn’t want to dirty my own story that I lived with awkward superfluity.

Even now, after meeting Charon-sama beyond my everlasting rest and accepting the role of becoming a reincarnated original protagonist, that feeling hasn’t changed.

The life of my past self is the life of my past self. The life of T.P. Eight Olishua is the life of T.P. Eight Olishua.

Don't ask, “Aren’t they all the same?” …I did my best to draw a clear line between my two lives and enjoy them both to the fullest.

That’s why I can always puff my chest with pride and say, The man named ──── lived a happy life.

That’s right, Eight-chan is an original protagonist with no tragic backstory.

──That’s why… You don’t have to feel indebted, you know? Daat.

Right now, I was in a sky-like place.

Just when I thought that darkness suddenly spread in the pure white space of the goddess-like Charon-sama, a blue sky had stretched out before I knew it.

And yet, I didn’t feel the pull of gravity. I wasn’t flying either, so what was this? …Ah, it’s that, the out-of-body experience thing.

It was a mysterious sensation, as if my soul, freed from my body, was just lightly floating here.

It felt similar to the state I was in before Charon-sama gave me this body──when my past self had died and was drifting through a white world as nothing but a soul.

Now, before me was someone who looked exactly like me──or rather, origin-wise, she is the originator. A beautiful black-haired girl, gorgeously wearing a revealing black dress, was standing still.

Hmm... looking at her like this, she really is a beautiful girl. It’s like looking into a mirror!

Thinking of that while taking a long hard look at her, the archangel with ten black wings stood before me with an expression that looked like she was about to cry for some reason.

...Well, I could more or less guess the reason why.

The moment I entered this world and met her face to face, it was as if the restraints on my memory were removed, and new information merged into my mind, one after another.

As a result, I came to understand my situation.

About myself... and about her.

She──Daat──lifted her face with a wry smile and, for the first time, spoke in front of me.

“...You’re so admirable.”

Her fleeting smile was lovely. Angels really are all so beautiful… In Netzach-sama’s case, his muscles are beautiful, so that’s acceptable.

Or rather, Daat actually speaks in human language normally. She doesn’t use telepathy, unlike the other angels or divine beasts.

“Yeah, since I learned human speech through you. Fufu... Actually, this is my first time. Speaking to others using words like this. Am I pronouncing things correctly?”

“Yeah, your pronunciation is perfect. As expected of Daat.”

“Fufu, amazing, right?”

“As expecdaat, as expecdaat.”

“...Stop that.”

“Got it.”

Yeah, I didn’t really want to say either, so I’ll stop with that. But still, mastering another world’s language is actually amazing.

Well, you’re also me, so it’s natural for you to be able to use human language.

But I wish you'd stop reading my mind so naturally like that… Whether it be you or Charon-sama, you primordial archangels all seem be like that.

I don’t mind, but there are people who’d find it unpleasant, so you should be careful.

“...You’re right. Even if you can read someone’s mind, that doesn’t mean you can understand them… That goes for angels and humans, as well as the Abyss.”

...Hmm. I only gave a light warning, but she’s already looking gloomy on her own.

For someone who clearly has the aura of a bigwig, she’s a surprisingly sensitive angel. Thinking that, I felt even more familiar with her.

From my position, it might sound strange for me to feel that way about her, though.

Well then, putting that aside… what should I do about this situation?

Right now, I’m in a Wakaruman state, as if I’ve reached enlightenment, but that doesn’t mean I fully understand the situation I’ve ended up in. (tl note: wakaruman is “a man who is willing to drop everything to understand.” It’s a meme from Jaguar Man Series, a derivative work of Devilman)

Even if I look at this situation objectively, this is such a bizarre turn of events that settling it with “Something mysterious happened at that moment” would be a strange development that’s way to unreasonable.

I jumped into the vortex to save the rampaging Mea-chan.

When I did, I ended up in Charon-sama’s domain, where she told me to use the Phantom Thief Notebook.

I used the Phantom Thief Notebook, and a nasty amount of darkness overflowed out of it.

After I was swallowed by the darkness, and when I came to, I was in this mysterious sky-like place, and Daat, who looked exactly like me, was there.

I tried to sort the situation matter-of-factly, but what the heck is this…? Isn’t it like an axed manga rushing through the story!?

Grrr… this is bad. If this were a fanfiction, I would catch a whiff of the Eternal: “Did the author get tired of this?”

But since I’m a capable original protagonist, I’ll give an easy-to-understand explanation so that the readers can understand! Together with Daat, who I just met!

“Nice to meet you… wait, doesn’t that sound weird? I’m Daat. I’m the primordial archangel who presides over ‘knowledge’ in Fairy World──or was, that is.”

“Nice to meet you, Daat. Uh… maybe I shouldn’t use my usual way of speaking when I’m in front of you?”

“Hm? Like the time with Binah-chan, are you worried about character overlap? I don’t mind, though…”

“I mind! Plagiarism is a not allowed!”

“Ah, yeah… You call yourself a phantom thief, but you don’t like it…”

? What’s she saying something so obvious? That’s only natural.

In a conversation with Daat, this is a matter of life or death for an original protagonist. If we talk in out usual tone, from an fanfiction perspective, things could get even more confusing than with Binah-sama.

But… hmm.

“…I don’t want to stop. After all, I want to stay like this.”

Yeah. I’ve come this far to be the coolest original protagonist named T.P. Eight Olishua. Even if the originator shows up right in front of me, I don’t want to hand over this character to her. This is different from impersonator singing matches where the actual singer appears.

And so, fanfiction-wise, our conversation scene from here on is going to get extremely confusing, but Eight-chan will carry out Eight-chan’s character. I won’t hear any objections!

Having made up my mind, I asked her one thing with serious eyes.

Although it was a series of irregular situations, I was finally able to meet Daat.

I’m going to make her reveal about our existence properly. This is Interviewer Eight-chan.

“Well then, Daat. I’m going to ask you a few things again… You’re──me, right?”

“…Yeah. A part of your soul is the same being as me──Daat.”

──That’s what happened.

Yup, that’s how it is.

Fufufu, well? The shocking truth is finally revealed!

...Don’t worry, I’ll explain everything properly, from start to end. Or Daat will.

I only just found out myself a little while ago, so to be honest, I’m still sorting it out in my head. The reflection earlier was part of that. Now that I’ve met her and knew everything, I wanted to reaffirm my origin.

Still, for the secret of the original protagonist, which even I didn’t know until just now, to be revealed, this really is a climax-like development that’s heading toward the final chapter. I've won, yeah.

The tale of Fairy Savers ∞ will probably continue on, but as for the story of T.P. Eight Olishua, an original protagonist… maybe it’ll wrap up here.

──Even so, I want to pursue the perfect cheat original protagonist until the final moment.

I felt now that this was an “I myself” that would probably never change, whether I know the whole truth or not.

Alright then, let’s get started…

"My name is T.P. [Template] Eight Olishua. As you can see, I’m a transmigrator."

I once again did a self-introduction and had a conversation with her.

(author: I love it when stories connecting to the first chapter are stories that come out in the final stage.

The author’s estimates are always super loose, but it’s going to finish within 100 chapters… or it should be.)

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