01x01 - Eroge no Yuujin Chara ni Tensei Shita Kedo, Game Chishiki Tsukatte Jiyuu ni Ikiru

[bunniefuu]

Tsukuyomi Magic Academy...

Eroge are usually riddled

with contrived situations that
are totally over the top.

- There are many reasons for this.

- Students who come here do so
for many different reasons.

- Let's start with the
protagonist's household.

Most eroge protagonists
don't have parents at home.

Why not?

Maybe it's so they can be
woken up in the morning by an

adorable little sister or
a caring childhood friend,

but often their life is set
up in some special way.

The home isn't the only
thing that's ridiculous.

The special abilities and help the
protagonists get are also examples.

For example, how come an eroge
protagonist who cross-dresses to go to

an all-girls school is never found out?

But in that specific moment,
suddenly, they know?

Right then, his identity is exposed.

Also, the fact that
everyone falls for him

is one example of the
protagonists being aided.

All these cute and wonderful girls

gather around the young man
who is simply being kind,

and things go straight into harem mode.

That is to say, eroge do
not respect common sense.

They are set in some supernatural realm.

But if you realize that you're
not the center of that word,

one wrong step and that world
will become hell for you.

Where... am I?

This is bad. Really bad.

This seal... MagiEx?

This is... from that one
eroge, the protagonist—

No! It's the annoying
sidekick that nobody wants!

I do remember that the game starts
at school two weeks from now.

So is this timeline
different from the game's?

My parents died a year ago,

and my grandfather on my
dad's side is also dead.

I'm estranged from my
mom's side of the family.

I only had ties to my dad's mom, who
took care of me until she got sick...

Is that why there's nobody here?

This is the kind of really tough
life typical of a protagonist.

Luckily, it looks like I was
accepted to that one magic school.

But I doubt I can pay the tuition.

Hell, at this rate, I can't even buy
food and I'll die of starvation.

Is this all there is?

The sidekick of an eroge's
protagonist is generally unlucky.

Women don't want him to a tragic degree.

The reason is simple:

Just think about what would happen if
the girl the player is attracted to

were to date the sidekick friend.

There would be an instant
barrage of complaints,

and users would drop the game in droves.

This me in the mirror.
This Takioto Kousuke

is a versatile character capable of
being unlucky or even super unlucky.

The game this character appears
in is called Magical Explorer,

or MagiEx for short.

It's a combat simulation
game where you play

a student in school and level
up your party in dungeons.

Obviously, since it's an eroge,

there are also plenty of
romantic possibilities.

If anything, that is the point.

In your day to day life,

the beautiful and skilled heroines
pursue you to an abnormal degree,

and erotic accidents that border
on divine blessings keep happening.

If you're the protagonist.

As the secondary character
Takioto Kousuke

you watch the protagonist
from the sidelines,

biting your handkerchief
through your tears.

A veritable third wheel.

That's right.

You play a supporting role.

"You know, that girl's actually..."

"They say she's the most
beautiful girl at our school!"

You say things like that, and the girls
all get taken by the protagonist.

Obviously, no girl has
been arranged for Takioto.

If anything, they all
might even dislike him.

He's also bad in combat.

That's expected.

What do the ladies and
gentlemen playing eroge want?

A beautiful heroine they
would want to marry.

But Takioto's abilities
aren't actually too bad.

They're not bad, but obviously anybody
would pick the heroines over him.

This is the world of Magical
Explorer, isn't it?

I can use magic, right?

In the game, all it took
was a click of the mouse.

If only I had that spreadsheet file.

I used it to track all the detailed
data I had gathered myself,

and the most efficient ways to level
up for my speedruns.

Not like I know if that
would be of any use here.

Besides, I'm not even at a
point where strategy matters.

Which means...

If you believe what's
written in this book,

all beings in this world have mana,

and the atmosphere also carries mana.

And the miracles produced by
using that mana is magic.

- Hijiri Iori

- If this is just like the game,

Takioto Kousuke possesses enough
mana to impress even the teachers.

Right.

If we're only talking about mana.

Um, Light?

Light!

Light!

Light!

L-Light!

Light!

Oh damn!

Wait...

This world has dungeons.

If it's just like the game,

this world has countless dungeons.

From the academy campus,

you were able to take on dungeons
by using a teleportation circle.

If only I could join the protagonist
and the heroines to such a fun place...

But first, I have to get strong!

With that said,

the Takioto Kousuke of the game has
almost no aptitude for emission magic.

He can become stronger, but he
can never become the strongest.

No.

Is that really true?

Can he truly never become the strongest?

In eroge, it's the heroines who
receive favorable treatment.

And then the player's
alter ego the protagonist.

Could the sidekick ever become
strong enough to surpass them?

You know...

It might really be possible!

I know this game inside and out.

That's the ultimate cheat code.

I'll do it!

I don't know why I've been
brought to this world.

But if I have to live here,

I'm going to enjoy everything
this world has to offer!

In order to play to his strengths,

he had been wearing a long stole.

Takioto Kousuke had allotted an immense
amount of mana into his stole,

and was able to move it around freely
as if it were part of his own body.

I need to get used to this
power as quickly as possible.

Until I start at
Tsukuyomi Magic Academy!

Mana is increased by leveling it
up by gathering magic particles,

and by using magic until
you hit your limit.

I want to know where my limit is.

If I don't know it, I can't know
when my mana would increase.

I've gotta start by practicing my
enhance magic and enchant magic.

Weapons, huh.

Weapons, yeah.

Takioto Kousuke has no
aptitude for emission magic.

If I want to use his
abilities to the fullest,

the best bet is to specialize
in defense with shields.

Also, as he is very proficient
in enchanting tools,

working at a magical tools
development lab could be a thing too.

Want to stay away from
exploitative employers, though.

Coming.

Can I help...

you?

Nice to see you...

Takioto Kousuke-kun.

Is something wrong?

N-No... I just can't believe I'm with
a famous celebrity of the magic world.

I can't say that it's because
she's a character from an eroge,

or because she doesn't look old
enough to have a daughter who

teaches at the academy.

But isn't she way too young?

She could pass as a student
in a school uniform.

Come on, don't take it so seriously.

From now on, we're going
to be a lot more casual.

Right.

I apologize. This was the only space
I could get for the time being.

Not at all!

I'm flattered you've brought
me to such a fancy place.

Hanamura Marino is the principal
and director of the academy.

She's a character who interacts with
the protagonists a couple of times,

but it's not like she gets too involved.

However, she does pull
strings behind the scenes.

Takioto Kousuke-kun!

Yes!

I will come out and say it.

You will become my child.

Huh?

What did she just say?

In accordance with the
magic user protection law,

parental rights have already
been transferred to me.

What?

You will become my child.

Um...

Now hold on one second.

What is going on?

Hanamura Marino
is going to be my parent?

She is the Witch of Tsukuyomi!

A witch who is rumored to have
destroyed an S-rank monster by herself.

She's that witch who was
not able to be romanced,

so in despair I and my fellow
gentlemen flooded the user support line.

But she was never turned into a heroine,
and no additional events were added.

You don't want that?

No, no, no.

I'm looking forward to it very much.

So am I, Kou-chan.

It seems that she was a distant
relative of my mother's.

There was a will, and she
ended up becoming my guardian.

Looks like she will pay for my
tuition and living expenses.

So you're going to be living
at my house from now on.

What?

Not in the school dorm?

You can live in the dorm if you prefer,

but the house is close to the academy,

so I was hoping we could live together
to get to know each other better.

Why is this cliched eroge
situation cropping up?

I still don't even know why
I became Takioto Kousuke!

Not to mention, at her house...

If I'm not mistaken,
you have a daughter.

As the daughter of a beautiful witch,
she is extremely beautiful,

but for some reason there
was no way to romance her.

I never could figure out
what the devs were thinking.

Don't worry about that.

We're happy to have you!

I'm sorry.

Come on.

Don't act like we're not family.

I'm sorry.

May I touch that?

Y-Yes.

That's high quality Arachne thread.

Feed some mana into it.

I knew it.

Your enchant skill and mana level
really are something else.

If you train more, you
might even surpass me.

But I am a complete
zero at emission magic.

You'll be fine.

You'll meet some wonderful
friends at the academy.

Besides, if you keep feeding
mana into it at all times,

your mana level will
continue to increase.

Oh.

It's from the academy.

I'm sorry.

Something came up, so it looks
like I'll have to hurry back.

Here are my contact details.

Speaking of... I don't have
a smart phone or anything.

I looked through the whole mansion,
but didn't find anything.

You got a call before your parents
were k*lled by the demons.

I know, because I got a call too.

I also know that has
deeply traumatized you.

His backstory is that sad?!

That's right. Takioto never
picked up the phone.

He said he was sleeping,

but the backstory was that his
parents were k*lled by demons.

Poor guy...

I'm so sorry!

No, not at all!

If anything, I'm the one causing
you all kinds of trouble!

Please take this if you can.

If anything happens, I'll rush over.

Thank you so mu...

You can go ahead and eat here.

You're still growing.

I'll call you later.

A dimensional storage bag.

This was a given in the game,
but it sure is handy in real life.

I think her perception of
money might be broken.

Wait a minute.

I've got something really powerful here!

Money and influence!

Looks like the wind is finally
blowing in my direction,

now that I've decided
to aim for the top.

Thank you for waiting.

Oh, wow!

Let's ea—

What the hell was that?

Gotta tell Marino-san.

Crap.

Hey!

Stop!

Traitor!

That voice...

This can't be real.

That girl is...

She's one of the main heroines,
depicted on the game cover.

Her popularity rating
is always top tier.

That's Ludivine Marie-Ange de la Tréfle!

Who is that girl?

And the guy next to her?

I don't remember them
from the Ludie route.

You seem to have misunderstood.

We never betrayed anyone.

We've always been on this side.

What do I do?

Am I allowed to help her here
and change the whole storyline?

The organization they're up against

is an important opposing faction
in the initial and middle stages.

If that event doesn't happen, then...

Aurelien!

Can I just abandon her?

But if this is according to the game,

Marino-san is supposed
to save Ludie here.

Not me.

I can't call her.

Claris!

You too, Aurelien?!

Claris!

You're next, young miss.

That's the face I wanted to see.

Why do you think I endured
years of putting up with a brat?!

All of it was for this.

This is amazing!

How could you...?!

Hey, hey.

Don't sh**t just yet.

We should have a little
fun before we k*ll her.

S-Stop it!

Claris!

sh**t!

If I can't protect you here,
I'll never become the strongest.

This feels so strange.

My head is boiling with rage,

but my thoughts feel oddly clear.

That's why I'm....