774 - April Fool's Extra Chapter: "Invaders from the Afterword"

It was one late afternoon. I thought it would be nice to eat out for lunch once in a while, so I went into town, thinking about what to eat, when I spotted a familiar figure ahead of me.

I could only see her back, but her white hair and a black sailor uniform which is quite rare in this world Unnn, thats definitely Shea-san. Shes not wearing her robe today, which is unusual, and shes holding something in her hand I think its some kind of flag, but thats definitely Shea-san.

Why is she standing in the middle of the road? Well, for the time being, I think I should call out to her Shell probably click her tongue upon seeing me again, but thats just Shea-sans way of saying h.e.l.lo.

Wryly smiling at the thought of the usual reaction I expected in my head, I approached Shea-san and called out to her.

[h.e.l.lo, Shea-san.]

[Unnn? Eh? Gyaaaahhhhhh!?]

[Ehh!?]

Reacting to my voice, Shea-san turned around, but for some reason, her eyes widened when she saw my face, before she suddenly let out a scream. Eh? What is this? Her reaction isnt like what I had expected

[W- Why the heck did the Last Boss suddenly appear here!? My heart still isnt ready yet]

[Eh? Last Boss? S- Shea-san? What in the world are you]

[Kuhh, so this is the baptism of the Main Story huh However, Ive already come this far. For me to pull out here Alright, come at me, Flag King! Dont think you can raise my flag so easily!!!]

[Excuse me, what the heck are you talking about?]

What should I do? I cant seem to get through Shea-sans mind today Also, should you really be doing that in the middle of the street Were attracting a lot of attention here, you know

[Ummm, I dont know whats going on, but for now, why dont we change places? Were getting a lot of attention]

[Hearing you respond to my words so calmly also kinda hurts For now huh, u- unnn. Alright.]

U- Unnn. Seriously, what the heck is going on with Shea-san Her tension is fluctuating wildly today, and how should I put it Shes kinda strange.

Confused by Shea-sans unusual state, we moved away from the crowded main street to a small park nearby.

[So, Shea-san? What is it about you today? You look rather different that usual]

[Wait a minute there!]

[Yes?]

[This is a very important detail, so Ill tell you this first but Im not Shea, okay?]

[Eh?]

She isnt Shea-san? No, its not just on the level that they feel like twins or something like that, they look like theyre two peas from the same pod I was surprised, but then again, I dont think Shea-san would make a joke like this.

If so, is she really a different person? H- Hmmm, seriously, whats going on here?

[Well, you dont have to be stiff around me and just call me Senpai!]

[I understand. Ahh, my name is Miyama Kaito.]

[Unnn, I know Disgustingly so.]

[Haahhh I- Is that so]

I dont really know why this happened, but it seems like Ive suddenly become this persons kouhai. No, seriously, what the heck is going on here!? My mind cant keep up at all

This Shea-san lookalike Errr, Senpai apparently knows about me. Hmmm, given that she looks just like Shea-san, I wonder if shes also a G.o.d? Reluctant I might be, but it seems that Im famous among the G.o.ds, and if thats the case, its not surprising that she knows me I guess?

[So, errr Im sorry if Im being rude, but may I ask your name?]

[Hmph, alright, Ill tell you! Im the serious of the serious! I am the star of seriousness that s.h.i.+nes upon the world! Serious-senpai!]

[.]

Errr, sorry, I know its very rude of me to think of this about someone I just met for the first time but seriously, what the heck is with this strange person!?

[I- Is that so, errr, youre called Serious-san, right?]

[Huh? No, are your ears working fine or what Listen here, my name is Serious-senpai!]

[H- Huhh ummm, errr Does that mean your name also includes the Senpai?]

[Yeah, what of it?]

[I- I see.]

Can I ask it one more time? What the heck is with this strange person!? Ah, no, could it actually be that? Perhaps, the Senpai in her name isnt actually the Senior one, but shes actually surnamed Senpai?

[Incidentally, just to confirm things, is that Senpai errr, your surname?]

[Haahh? What the heck are you saying now You know it right, its the same Senpai in a Senpai-Kouhai relations.h.i.+p.]

It really is that Senpai!? If thats the case, didnt she find it insane that that was her real name!? However, the person herself doesnt seem to mind at all Was it me? Was it actually me thats weird here?

[Well, you can just call me Senpai!]

[I- I understand Senpai.]

[Unnn, nice to meet you.]

H- Hmmm, this is getting weird.

[So, ummm, what were you doing standing in the middle of a citys street just now?]

[Thats a good question. I was actually looking for something.]

[Looking for something?]

[Yes, its something important and essential to the world!!!]

[Important and essential?]

The scale of the conversation suddenly got bigger. H- Hmmm, if thats the case, she really might be a G.o.d, and shes come to the Human Realm to find whatever that is thats necessary for the world?

Sounds like its quite an incident

[Yes Its seriousness!]

[Yes?]

However, Im starting to feel like its actually just nothing.

[The world is lacking seriousness. Thats why this me! The Incarnation of Seriousness! Have come to change that!]

[]

Errr, is it actually some kind of philosophical thing? This is troubling, Im not really good with stuff like this

After that, the excited Senpai started to talk pa.s.sionately about her purpose and motivation for coming here and after a dozen minutes, I finally understood what she meant. Well, at least, some of it.

[Errr, to sum up the story Senpai is the embodiment of the concept of seriousness, who laments the lack of seriousness in the world and coming from a place different from this world, youve come to search for a new kind of seriousness Is that right?]

[Unnn, thats pretty much right.]

[Is that so, errr, I know a really good doctor Counseling and such things may not be her specialty, but for the time being, how about we come visit her?]

[Im not psychotic!]

I mean, after listening to her, Ive come to the conclusion that shes nothing more than a crazy person! N- No, Spirits and G.o.ds exist, so it wouldnt be strange if embodiments of concepts really exist

My head felt like it was aching, but I swallowed everything and just decided to ask Senpai.

[So, lets a.s.sume for a moment that everything you said is true How exactly do you look for seriousness?]

[T- That is by foot]

[Ahh, I see, no plan huh.]

[Yes. To top it off, I had no idea where I was going, and am lost.]

How should I say this Just when I think shes confident, saying such things with a smug look on her face, her tension immediately drops down, making me really bewildered. Seriously, in all sorts of ways, she really is quite the strange person.

However, be that as it may, I cant just leave her alone like this, especially since Im the one who approached her I cant help but feel that shes unreliable. I have a feeling that if I leave her alone, she might get into some strange trouble.

[Errr, I dont really know where this seriousness is, but Im more or less familiar with the geography of this area so, errr, should I guide you?]

[ ! ? Youre so kind.]

She may be a strange person by nature, but I couldnt just ignore her and go home. Knowing it would be troublesome, I still suggested it to her, which made Senpai look like shes overcome with emotions.

But a little later, she looked as if she had realized something.

[Haahh!? Dont you dare misunderstand, okay!? D- Dont think youve raised my flag for just something like this!]

[H- Huhh]

Errr, is it that? The flags she was talking about in this situation, was she talking about Love Flags?

[Ill tell you this now, but my Affection Meters is still a measly 96!]

[Incidentally, whats the maximum value of that?]

[100.]

[And the initial value when you first meet someone?]

[About 30?]

She surprisingly has a high evaluation of me. Within an hour of meeting her, her Affection Meters had risen tremendously. Where in our conversation had there been a factor that increased her Affection Meter by 66? N- No, it might only make sense when Ive acc.u.mulated 100, but still She seems like a very gullible person.

[W- Well, for the time being, how about we look for this seriousness Do you have any idea what that might be?]

[Hmmm, for now though, Id like to eat something. Preferably something spicy. Also, if its possible, Id also like to eat something famous here.]

Errr, is it that? In the end, this person was just here for sightseeing in Symphonias royal capital? Well, rather than searching for that seriousness that I just couldnt understand, Id gratefully choose that instead.

After concluding that, I opened the food guidebook that Kuro had given me back then, and guided her to the restaurants that fit in her requests.

Because her face resembles Shea-san, I thought the food would have to be very spicy to satisfy her but eating foods like that was too much for me, so I brought her to a restaurant that served slightly spicy food.

Senpai seemed to be totally okay with it too, and was eating very well. I thought Ive heard her say things like Ive only eaten baby castellas all my life or Ive only drunk choccy milk but I think it was just my imagination.

The fact that she was crying during the meal was only because she was moved by the deliciousness of the food Its not like she was being tortured in some mysterious way.

She didnt have any money and I had to pay for the whole thing, but she looked apologetic for it, so I want to believe that she wasnt trying to cheat me out of a free meal.

Senpai was quick to switch gears, or rather, I had already thought about it before, but her tension swings about greatly. Whenever she feels depressed, she recovers really quickly, and in a way, she might be someone interesting to watch.

She might be weird, but shes not a bad person In any case, sightseeing in the royal capital with the excited Senpai was fun in its own way, and I couldnt help but guide her to various places.

In the end, we wer

ent able to find seriousness, and when the sun had set, we returned to the park where we first talked.

[Well~~ That was fun! Thanks for hanging out with me!]

[No, I had fun too. However, in the end, we werent able to find the seriousness at all.]

[Eh? Ahh!?]

[You forgot huh.]

[N- No, that is, you know, that Seriousness isnt something found in a day! It isnt something that someone can just easily find!]

[Please dont make up incomprehensible things.]

Gotten to know each other well over the course of the day, we were able to converse with each other with ease. Well, how should I say this I guess you could say that her image is rather similar to Alices, so theres no problem if I treat her roughly to some extent. Rather, its more like I feel like Id be at a disadvantage if I treat her politely.

But on the other hand, I dont have to be overly cautious of her, so it might be easier to talk to her once you get used to her.

[Well, anyway, thank you for to]

[Eh?]

She was about to thank me with a sweet smile, but she immediately disappeared from my sight or rather, she was punched out of my sight. In the place where Serious-senpai had been until a moment ago, a familiar black stuffed cat costume appeared with her fist brandished, and immediately afterwards, a thunderous roar rang out.

[Fuuu, good grief. Just when I was thinking where you were What a troubling senpai, you are.]

[A- A- A- Alice!? What the heck are you suddenly doing!?]

[Ahh, no, youre mistaken. Im not the Transcendental Beauty Alice-chan, Im just her fan.]

[No, no, youre definitely Alice No, that aside, what the heck are you suddenly doing!? Senpai!]

While I was stunned by the sudden appearance of the costumed Alice, I hurriedly looked in the direction of the huge cloud of dust that must have been blown up by Senpais body.

Putting aside if she was Shea-san, but from what Ive seen by hanging out with her today, Senpai only has normal physical abilities. If Alice hits such a Senpai, what would happen D*mn it, Ill leave scolding Alice for later! I need to make sure Senpai is alright first

[That really hurts Why did you suddenly do that?]

-is what I thought, but she looked completely composed!? Although she had a b.u.mp on her head like those in gag mangas, she seemed to be alright.

While I was confused by the situation, Alice (?), as if she understood my question, spoke.

[Ahh, please dont worry. Senpai has the Gag Status Correction, so she is basically an immortal durable monster, so theres no problem at all.]

[Eh? No, what the heck are you even saying]

Gag Status Correction sounds like its straight out of a manga This wont do, Im seriously confused. My head couldnt follow the situation at all.

[Anyway, its time to go back, Senpai.]

[No! I still havent found seriousness yet!!!]

[Like I said, that doesnt exist]

[No, there has to be! Its definitely there! As long the serious of the serious me exists, the seriousness will appear!]

[Freaking stubborn.]

[Gyaaaaaahhhhh!?]

What is this, I cant keep up with the situation at all. I thought Senpai was mangled up by the black stuffed cat costume, but the next moment, she was back as if nothing had happened.

I dont know if its because I was unable to follow behind or because I couldnt make any sense of whats happening, but I felt like my heads going to burst and for some reason, my consciousness was slowly fading away.

[Hahh!?]

Bouncing out of my futon, I got up and found myself in my room that Im so familiar with. I hurriedly looked around, but neither Senpai nor the stuffed black cat costume were anywhere to be seen.

[Eh? A dream?]

How should I say this That was a really strange dream. Am I that tired?

While thinking about this, I got out of the bed and found a neatly wrapped package on my desk. Picking it up and inspecting it, I didnt find the senders name on it.

Tilting my head at the unfamiliar package, I opened it and found an a.s.sortment of powdered cocoa, the kind you dissolve in milk to make choccy, and a flag that looks like it could be used as a beach flag.

The flag had the word happiness written on it with what seemed to be a magic marker, and there was a message card attached to the handle.

And on the message card, cutely written on it

Ill leave this flag unbroken. Also, ummm I had fun, thank you.

Serious-senpai

Serious-senpai (Affection Meter: 999) : [ W- Well, as expected of the protagonist. He isnt that bad of a guy He didnt raise any flag on me or anything like that though.]

? ? ? : [Look at your name No, well, if thats what you want to think However, cocoa as a thank you huh. I guess its because theres nothing else here, but its not like its a very spicy one, right?]

Serious-senpai (Affection Meter: 999) : [Hahh? What are you talking about Listen here, okay? Its obvious that what I like and what will make others happy are different things. I wouldnt be foolish enough to impose my own tastes on them.]

? ? ? : [How should I say this Its more like common sense but dont you think that your words are sending out a really large boomerang towards the Parallel World you?]

Serious-senpai (Affection Meter: 999) : [Eh? Ahh.]