Extra 24

Cheat Original Protagonist Behind-the-Scenes Operator Arc

Catfishes Do Not Have Scales*

(tl note: Doraemon catfish song, Plenty of Doraemon references in this chapter)

(Author: This is an useless extra.)

YUME Biyori is great, isn't it...

『It is...』

Yes.

Good morning from the top of some mountain somewhere. This is T.P. Eight Olishua. The dazzling morning sun spreads across my entire field of vision. What a beautiful view...

After being surprised by Keter's unexpected side, having witnessed the whole thing, we teleported away from the scene as though fleeing the questioning from the Savers.

And right now, in order to release the inner pathos stirred up by what had happened this time, I was passionately singing while playing the harp on top a mountain where there was no one besides us.

Mm, even listening to it again, YUME Biyori really is a good song. My impression that the final period of NobuDora rounded off with a crowning achievement is largely because this song and the movie from that time were so wonderful. A timeless masterpiece of a song and a timeless masterwork. (tl note: nickname of Nobuyo Oyama, the voice actress of Doraemon)

Speaking of the final period of NobuDora, there were many other unforgettable songs, such as "Mata Aeru Hi Made" and "Tanpopo no Uta." As a marker of an era, those songs emotionally colored the turning point of the national cat-shaped robot anime. Don't run away from the catfish? ...Sorry…

Well then, when I go back home, maybe I'll stop by a karaoke place while I'm at it? There were songs I couldn't sing in my previous life because of my lung capacity and vocal range, but now I can handle all sorts of them. One of the privileges of being a TS beautiful girl. Yay.

"But why YUME Biyori!? Why YUME Biyori!?" is what some people might be wondering. The reason is simple: just because.

It really is just because, but I thought it matched Mea-chan's theme song better than anything else.

I mean, I'd thought it suited her for a long time. First of all, the title Yume Biyori is nice. "Dream" can also be taken as "Mea." (tl note: Yume Biyori = Ideal Weather for Dreaming, Yume = dream)

The chorus line "A ribbon from the sky that connects rainbows" is completely straightforward, and if you force the interpretation a bit, it also sounded as though it were alluding to people deeply connected with her: "the sun = Akari-chan," "the banquet of the trees = Sefira's blessing," "sunset race = En," "bird = Chesed," and "the shining evening moon = Charon-nee-san."

『The stretching shadow... would be Eight, I suppose.』

Oh, that's a good one too! But does Mea-chan really race against me that much?

『...It seems to me she’s chasing after you as the ‘self she wanted to become.’』

...That’s quite an honor.

But it’s different now. She already has a firm sense of herself, with both feet on the ground. She can fly, though.

『...Indeed. She broke out of her shell. From now on, she will walk toward a future different from both yours and Keter's.』

Before I knew it, she'd grown this strong. Eight-chan is happy to see her niece's growth.

Looking at it that way, even the lyrics from "It'll be alright, surely..." onward sound like cheering from Mea-chan to Fallen Angel-kun──now Riin-kun──and it's truly emotional. It matched even better than I'd originally thought, so I figured I just had to sing it!

And that concludes Eight-chan, in charge of the ending theme──so to speak.

...Well then, shall we begin the flashback?

Now that everything is over, it feels rather late to be talking about it, but I have to tell the story of what we were doing behind the scenes during this event.

I think I'll explain it in chronological order, but if it gets too long, I might get a harsh retort of "You're getting too absorbed in it!" so I'll just go summarize the main points.

...It all began several months ago.

The night after I spent my time however I pleased──sneaking into the school Mea-chan attended, observing their classes from afar, and practicing the harp in the music room──was the beginning of it all.

As I walked side by side with Charon-nee-san, who was carrying Kabbalah-chan in her arms, chatting about what we should do tomorrow while strolling along the peaceful night road, we met Fallen Angel-kun──the grey boy whom Mea-chan would later name "Riin."

"I'm a fallen angel of Greysphere... both worlds are being targeted."

The boy who possessed the soul of Adyeshach, the Abyssal Qlippoth, whom we should have defeated, told me his purpose immediately the moment he came face to face with me.

An ancient existence that had once been separated from Abyss Zero, and a new enemy: Greysphere. It was somewhat confusing whether it was Grey sphere (a grey sphere) or Grace fear (noble fear), but after hearing his story, I realized it was a fitting double meaning that encompassed both. (tl note: グレイスフィア = gureisufia)

He was a sorrowful grey sphere born because Abyss Zero, an existence that was less a living being than something like the laws or commandments of this world, feared acquiring a "heart."

That Greysphere is trying to return to Fairy World by using the human world as a foothold.

If that were all, then, well, do as you like, but since he intended to drag unrelated people into it, beginning with the children of the human world, there was naturally no way I could overlook it.

Receiving my gaze, Fallen Angel-kun spoke with a sorrowful expression.

"You can't win... Come to me. Save Greysphere, Daat."

And so, I received from Fallen Angel-kun, slightly ahead of time, roughly the same information that Mea-chan would later be told.

At the same time, I correctly grasped the situation, and the original protagonist-colored brain cells racing through my head allowed me to understand everything.

The movie plot is here━━ヽ(≧∀≦) | T|e|m|p|l|a|t|e |O|r|i|g|i|n|a|l |P|r|o|t|a|g|o|n|i|s|t|, |t|h|a|n|k|s |a|s |a|l|w|a|y|s|! |(≧∀≦)ノ━━!!!!!

That, though inappropriate in the face of such an alarming premonition, was how greatly excited I felt when I decided to once again operate behind the scenes as the Supernatural Ability Phantom Thief.

...I mean, come on, a brand-new faction that suddenly appeared and looked dangerous no matter how you looked at it? That's obviously the main event of a sequel.

I was greatly surprised and deeply moved that Adyeshach had been reborn as such a lovely beautiful boy, but when I heard that the one who had reincarnated him was an unknown god called "Greysphere"──in other words, an existence to him much like Charon-nee-san was to me──I felt, as a sequel story to Fairy Savers ∞, a profound sense of understanding and the grandeur of its scale.

His rank of existence might be below that of Abyss Zero, but he was still the a "god," like the Holy Dragon, and he was coming upon the Fairy World while drawing the Human World into it through an "ancient fate*." (tl note: direct cause, which underlie actions, or fated connection)

It truly felt like the sort of development you'd find in an theatrical anime depicting an after-episode set after the main story, once it had become peaceful.

So what do you do then? The answer is obvious.

"...I can't go with you. I'm sorry, Fallen Angel-kun."

"..."

Concealing the powerful emotions that had welled up for the first time in five years behind a nihilistic smile, I lightly patted Fallen Angel-kun, who had delivered this vital new information to me on the surface in the form of a "declaration of war," on the shoulder and said,

"It's okay. Leave it to big sis." (tl note: I know I’m flip flopping here, but English (sister) is for referring to self, and Japanese (nee-san) if for referring to others.)

"...Daat..."

Greysphere is anxious, huh? Eight will make a move.

Both Charon-nee-san and I could tell at a glance that Fallen Angel-kun also had his own thoughts about involving the human world──that he didn't really want to fight. Naturally, we couldn't perceive, as Mea-chan did, that he was suffering because of the sins of his previous life, but we could tell from the atmosphere that he was wavering.

The moment he came to me first, the one who would probably become Greysphere's most troublesome enemy, and revealed the situation, it was obvious that what Fallen Angel-kun did was actually a "warning" disguised as a declaration of war.

If he truly intended to invade, it would unquestionably have been more effective to launch a surprise attack without telling us anything. Since he didn't do that, I figured it was because he was wavering, or because there was something he wanted me to do.

Fufun, Eight-chan is an original protagonist who's good at figuring things out.

『Eight… You’re amazing』

Right?

It's not just about strength. Even an outlaw-type original protagonist like me, who sells a hard-boiled image, is ultimately expected to have a certain amount of conscience and kindness.

『Hard... boiled...?』

"Kyu...?"

That's not something to doubt, Nee-san. You're wondering if it’s supposed to be heartful instead? There is absolutely no way that could be the case.

And what's with that space cat expression, Kabbalah-chan? I'll let it slide because you look adorable being held in Nee-san's ample bosom. (tl note: space cat)

"...You can't beat Greysphere."

"Not by myself. But in this world, there are dependable saviors and angels."

Well, it had already been five years since we overcame Abyss Zero. Led by remarkably grown Mea-chan, the new protagonist (or so I had judged), there were many dependable saviors in this world.

By now, we'd probably also be able to establish a perfect cooperative framework with the holy beasts, and with our forces being so enhanced, I was able to take things more easily than I could five years ago.

Of course, that doesn't mean I lacked tension or a sense of crisis... but even so, when it came to the incidents that would follow, I found myself burning with excitement for the first time in a long while, wondering how I was going to original protagonist my way through them.

That's right... Remember the excitement.

Come to think of it, recently I'd been feeling a change in mental state.

I was enjoying the moments walking around town and spending time with Charon-nee-san, watching over the growth of Mea-chan and the others, petting Kabbalah-chan so much that I found myself satisfied with them.

I wondered if, even without doing original protagonist things anymore, simply living this kind of life was enough to fill my heart. Well, it really was fun, and I didn't have a single complaint about the life I'd been living... but exactly because it was peaceful, I was facing the reality that it had become difficult to do whatever I wanted like before.

That said, causing disorder myself just because of that didn't feel right either, and I vaguely wondered if, on the way, I'd shift away from being a battle work original protagonist and become more of a Kirara-style* slice-of-life original protagonist... is what found myself thinking about my own future. But since my lifespan had been short in my previous life, I've never been very good at thinking about the distant future… (tl note: Manga Time Kirara)

Then came this new encounter.

A pinch of accent from Greysphere was added to my peaceful original protagonist life, which had been growing uneventful.

As a result──I burst.

I'm fired up... I'm fired up, Charon-nee-san! Our template has always been like this! A razor's-edge battle with wits and resolve stretched to their limits! That has always drawn out the very limits of who I am...!

This new chaos is squeezing adrenaline out from every part of my body, making the blood inside me boil!

But this world's future has no need for a bad ending. At least the conclusion... the original protagonist will... with these hands... lead it!!!* (tl note: line by Kaiba from Episode 131 of "Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters")

This time, it genuinely is the end of Fairy Savers ∞!

Let's go, Nee-san! Kabbalah-chan! The ones who stand at the summit of original protagonists... are us!! (tl note: previous three lines are a modification of Kaiba’s lines)

『?』

"?"

Nee-san and Kabbalah-chan tilting their heads together in sync are so cute.

And so, having remembered that feeling of excitement for the first time in five years, I began the original protagonist's intervention into the original work across the entire world, based on the vital information brought to me by Greysphere's Fallen Angel-kun.

I honestly have no idea whether a sequel movie anime is actually being made in that other world, but this opportunity came at just the right time for me.

You know, lately it feels like everyone in this world is looking at me──not in a bad way, but almost too favorably... So I thought it was about time to return to what I originally set to do and once again become that mysterious third faction whom people couldn't tell was friend or foe.

『................I see.』

You sure took your time there, Charon-nee-san.

What? What's with that look like you want to say something?

『It's nothing. I’ll follow your wishes.』

Thanks.

Right, right. This time, besides increasing Eight-chan's mystique in the eyes of the world, I also intended to promote Charon-nee-san's presence more at the same time.

The reason being that if I'm an original protagonist, then she's the one who fills the role of the main heroine.

Even in romantic comedy novels, the development where the relationship between the protagonist and the heroine becomes known to other people is one of the most satisfying scenes!

It may be a well-worn trope, but when mob characters find out that the most beautiful girl at school is close with the unremarkable protagonist and start looking at him with envy or jealousy, it's the sort of thing that pleasantly satisfies the reader's sense of self-esteem when they're projecting themselves onto the protagonist.

I'm an original protagonist who is remarkable, but it's a similar feeling. I wanted to make it abundantly clear to the world that beside the original protagonist now stood Charon-nee-san, the greatest heroine.

Treating the heroine like a trophy is a bit questionable, but I want to support her more. That was partly for my own self-satisfaction, but more than anything, it was so Nee-san could live more easily in both worlds.

『For... my sake?』

Of course!

...I mean, Nee-san, you never try to make your presence known.

Keter, the Archangels, the Savers, Mea-chan──now that you've finally left the World Tree, there have to be all kinds of things you'd want to talk about with them one-on-one... Yet you never try to assert yourself about any of that, and I’ve been worried about you because of it.

『...There's nothing left for everyone to talk about with me at this point.』

That's exactly what I'm talking about.

I'm one thing, since I avoid meeting everyone in order to keep my mysterious position, but you really don't have to worry about that, Nee-san.

If we wanted to, I could materialize you for a long time and we could even act separately, so you don't have to be with me all the time. Now that you're finally free, I'm sure there are things you want to do on your own, and people you want to talk to.

『I'm fine. ...Eight, is it... an inconvenience... for me to continue being with you?』

That's exactly what I'm talking about.

...That's exactly it. Fufu.

『...Why are you laughing?』

Sorry.

No, it's just that my big sister is so innocent that I couldn't help smiling.

Also, it makes me happy. After these five years, being together with me has become the natural thing for her, and the fact that I've come to think of it as natural too.

『I see.』

That's right.

Of course, ever since becoming one with Charon-nee-san, I've never once thought of you as an inconvenience.

It's just that... ever since hearing about "Greysphere" from Fallen Angel-kun, Charon-nee-san has looked so troubled, and I was worried about.

『...You don’t need worry. The matter about Greysphere is something I...』

"It's a problem that we should solve──right?"

『...That's right. Yes... Thank you, Eight.』

──In other words, that's how it is.

That’s how it turned out.

"So then, Keter, you help too!"

『...What... do you mean...?』

Strike while the iron is hot.

Having learned of the existence of this new threat, we immediately went to visit the king of Fairy World in order to devise countermeasures. Between us, seeing how surprised he was by our sudden visit felt fresh and was a little amusing.

(Author: This is Side Eight)

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