Opening
Part 1
When one comes 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’.
--Games are different from reality.
There are those who claim that they cannot make the distinction.
But even they have likely felt at times that *something is different*.
What separates reality from that which isn’t reality- is probably this.
There has been much discussion on whether sports are games or reality, but
that’s besides this topic.
The reason is that the difference between games and reality is something more
fundamental 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 somewhere 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 same without it, even if you do wind
up accused ofsome 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 games 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 meeting the same
’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 game 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 game where everyone played like that?
Yes-- that would be, ’reality’.
--Are games 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 diameter 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 times per second.
You can connect even to the very ends of the world.
--People now say that the world is infinite.
--But what they mean 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 game 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.
Sometimes they were the heroic saviors of a nation.
Sometimes the leaders of the world’s largest guild.
Sometimes 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 time.
These siblings, ’undefeated’ in every game 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 same as the
heroes which they played in games.
But the moment they looked away, everything was the same 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, merely 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 memories 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 became blurred, and as he began to lose his grip on the world.
What brought him back all of a sudden, was the same 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 judgement!"
The day had just dawned, but it seemed 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 messing with me?"
"No, I’m seriously serious."
"Enough already! I’m going to enter without permission!"
He was probably just playing games 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 mean anything bad by it I really mean 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 games, such that it was
impossible to take a step anywhere.
Seeing something 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.
"Come 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 immediately 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 troublesome 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 some 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 me, 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 moment.
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 seemed he thought ofsomething.
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 home! Wouldn’t that be a great idea!?"
"......Place......where?"
"Fufu, I already know everything you have in mind, my little sister!!"
Although it seemed 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 means 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 bewilderment.
"Find some craftsmen 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 games,
read, and make unreasonable demands.
--Very much like ’tyrants’.
"~~~~~~~~~~~~~Soraaa! We’re having a game!"
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 judgment’.
--But.
"--......Ohh?"
Hearing that word ’game’, Sora’s eyes sharpened.
At that instantaneous change, which Steph had already seen countless times,
she shuddered.
The crying, shaking man from earlier had become 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 game 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 game in this very same 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 momentum lost its steam.
Seeing Steph avert her gaze, reddened from ear to ear, Sora confirmed.
"You wish to challenge me to an ’Acciente’ game, is that what you mean?"
"Y, yes, t-that’s exactly right!"
"......the [Ten Oaths]......number, five......the challenged...party has the
right......to decide...the contents of the game....."
s.h.i.+ro recited the rule from memory.
--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, me? You challenge me to a game?"
--the game 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 gamer-sama would not be afraid to
compete with me at m-my, strengths?"
Thinking desperately, Steph blurted out the countermeasure 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 came at least a bit prepared this time-- so, what is it you ’wish
to wager’?"
Games 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 [become a citizen and stop meddling 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 come down to this", or "Don’t hit me where it hurts!"
Steph had been expecting such replies.
But instead, Sora’s eyes were s.h.i.+ning brightly.
"I, I see--since the [Ten Oaths] are absolute, you can do that kind of thing as
well!?"
"Heh!?"
At this better-than-expected response from Sora, Steph could only look
away red-faced.
"B-b-but, didn’t you order me to ’fall in love’......ifso--"
Indeed that time when Steph had faced Sora in a game, through a series of
trickery she had been requested to ’fall in love’.
As you can see, regardless of her own willshe had been forced to ’be in
love’.
"I, I see,"
It was as if the scales had fallen from his eyes.
Moved to look up at the sky, Sora gave a cry.
"Th, then, don’t make me a citizen--make me a ’riajuu
[2]
’!"
"Ria, juu? What the heck’s that."
"It’s technically the same as a citizen. Now let’s play! I’ll lose!!"
"Eh, well, um......"
Biting her lip, Steph seemed to be at a loss as to how to respond.
Succor came from an unexpected source.
"......Nii....if you, lose......to someone apart from......s.h.i.+ro......"
"Wha--! S-sister, do you intend to stand in the way of your brother’s path
towards becoming a riajuu!?"
"......『 』 cannot...accept......de...feat......"
"Guoohhh!"
Yes, Sora and s.h.i.+ro-- the combo of 『 』 can never accept any losses.
It was a promise the two had made back in the previous world.
In a world without rules, it was an absolute, unshakable rule the two had
made for themselves alone.
As if he had fallen from heaven to h.e.l.l, Sora’s face displayed unmitigated
despair.
"No way......come on! I mean, there’s no way I could lose to Steph in
anything unless it’s on purpose!!"
"You----!?"
Ignoring Steph who had begun twitching uncontrollably, the siblings continued
their argument.
"......Even, so.....you can’t......"
"This, this can’t be, my rosy riajuu life was right before my eyes! H-hey,
s.h.i.+ro, you challenge me then. If it’s you there’d be no problem, I can go all
out and lose, let’s say, in chess or something!"
"......But......I refuse......"
"Arrrghhhh, G.o.ddammit! Steph!!"
"Y, yes!?"
Clasping his hands together as if in prayer, Sora turned to Steph and cried out
from his soul.
"I realize that there is one in a million-- no, it’d be more approaching an
imaginary number, but there’s gotta be a game you might just possibly
somehow be able to beat me at! I’m begging you! Answer this infinitesimally
small hope of mine!!"
"Fu, fufu......fufufu......fufufufufufufu, you yourselfsaid it!"
Receiving that abuse laden rant, Steph’s mouth twitched before she began
laughing maniacally.
"The game will be-- ’Black Jack!"
"--......Haaaahhh......"
"......Sigh......"
As the siblings both sighed for different reasons, Steph, not understanding
either, looked dismayed.
"Eh, huh? What is it!? It’s a game with a chance ofsuccess!!"
Sora merely returned another sigh.
Turning to s.h.i.+ro who seemed to have lost all interest, Steph shouted.
"The dealer will be me! Sora will be the player! This way Sora can’t cheat,
and even if he does I’ll know and it’d be my win! In a game of pure chance,
ability doesn’t matter!"
Sora looked out the window. A single twinkling glimmer slowly rolled down
his cheek.
"Writing together the characters for ’human’ and ’dreams’ results in ’vanity’,
huh. Well Steph, don’t be discouraged. There’s always a next time."
Hearing Sora’s line normally reserved for after winning a match, Steph
exploded.
"Ma, making fun of me......j-just you watch! ’Acciente’!"
That was the word used when invoking the [Ten Oaths], signifying a vow of
absolute compliance had been made.
"Yeah yeah......’Acciente’......I guess."
"Oh, right, I forgot to add what I’ll be gambling--"
"Sure......well, whatever’s fine......sighhh......"
"Y, you----!!"
In the face of Sora who took his victory as a foregone conclusion, Steph
inwardly told herself to calm down.
--Yes, calm down. There is a ’chance of victory’.
In her mind, Steph was grinning horribly.
A game of pure chance? No way in h.e.l.l.
Steph had been busy practicing all night, of course she intended to cheat to
win.
It was the dealer who shuffled.
Ifshe counted out the cards while shuffling yet in an ’acceptable looking way’,
she could win.
Unlike subst.i.tuting cards or the like, it was impossible to prove.
Number eight of the [Ten Oaths], ’If cheating is detected during a game, it will
be regarded as a defeat’-- in other words.
If it’s not detected, you can do it!
(Fufufufu......prepare to receive your just desserts for underestimating
meeeeeeeee!)
--However, Steph didn’t know.
More so since she had come this far.
Winning against Sora with something of that degree- was utterly
impossible......
Part 4
--Beyond the horizon.
Towering even over the mountains, large beyond human perception was a
giant chess piece.
Perched on top of the king, his feet dangling over the edge, was a lone boy.
Whistling as if enjoying himself, in his hands were a ’blank book’ and a quill
pen.
"Nn......what to write~"
It seemed as if he was thinking about the continuation of his story.
Over time, as he thought ofsomething, his pen would move.
"Once upon a time, there was a world where an absolute rule was set
prohibiting allforce and calling for every dispute to be solved by
games!......there. Hm. Well, something like that?"
Nodding from his seat higher than the heavens, the boy looked out into the
distance and muttered.
"......I wonder if they’ll move soon......the ’latest piece’."
The boy’s name was Tet.
The creator of this world where everything is decided by games, ’Disboard."
The one who had emerged from the former War of the G.o.ds seated as the
sole G.o.d remaining, the ’G.o.d of Games’.
That lone G.o.d, his eyes sparkling as if reminiscing about a lover, looked out
into the distance.
"--A question, art thou preventing the destruction of Imanity?"
From thin air, an arrogant voice resounded.
"--At last, hast thou been moved to act?"
Tet certainly took a little offense at that voice, yet he remained allsmiles.
"Eavesdropping now? That’s not a terribly commendable hobby."
Spying on the lone G.o.d Tet, the imperfect presence spoke.
It was undoubtedly one of the previous ranking Old G.o.ds-- and one still
possessing a limited amount of power at that.
Tet, who was now the sole G.o.d, could easily find out who it was, and yet he
had no interest whatsoever.
"--A question, before the decision on whom to crown as Imanity’s new king,
an event modification was observed. Art thou taking sides?"
Tet answered, however, in a bored tone.
"......Really, you guys are dull as ever."
Then he reversed, and his eyes filled with sparkling antic.i.p.ation once again.
With a yearning smile, Tet spoke.
"I am on n.o.body’s side. If you won’t understand that, you’ll continue playing a
stale game forever."
Then he laughed.
A laugh, which amidst the vast disappointment, contained great hope.
"’They’ will come. All the way up to me-- and none of you can stop them."
His eyes were far away, looking over the last city of Imanity-- over Elchea.
For the one G.o.d, endless years were as the blink of an eye.
His eyes were like--
A child on the day he was going to the amus.e.m.e.nt park, impatiently awaiting
for his parents to get ready.
With a whisper, Tet confirmed that the presence of the voice from the void
had faded.
"Don’t keep me waiting too long, 『 』-san."
He knocked his heels against the piece he sat atop of.
"I’llrun out of patience soon~, if you keep me much longer-- I might just have
to come out and play?"
Curling his lip fearlessly, G.o.d spoke.
"Ah, that’s right. The continuation--"
As if thinking of the continuation of his story, Tet lifted his quill pen.
"One day two gamers from another world were invited to the country of
Imanity, the lowest of the Exceed. The two came to defend Imanity, who had
been backed into a corner to their final land-- Elchea, by the other races, then
becoming the king and queen-- everything began from here......kay ♪"
--the story continued to spin out.
Eventually it would be a grand epic, told to the people by bards everywhere.
What G.o.d wove was the story of future G.o.ds.
Writing out the prologue to the next legend----