Memories Those days are vivid.
SF, rom-coms, slice-of-life, mecha, hot-blooded anime.
Seekermaster: "Let's try eroge too! Yuri's for after 20, though." Rikka: "Keeping it straight, got it!"
Played tons of eroge. Three days for CGs. All-nighters left us wrecked.
Seekermaster: "Ever thought of creating? Singing, dancing videos?" Rikka: "I'm in!"
His editing made my amateur videos hit a million views.
School didn't faze me anymore. I'd discovered so much joy.
Seekermaster: "I knew it! Rikka-dono, you're a global talent!" Rikka: "Exaggerating much?" Seekermaster: "Truth! Now, a battle awaits—Comiket!"
Summer and winter nearly killed me. Crowds crushed us, endless loops of lines.
But snagging those goods? Pure triumph.
Seekermaster: "What'd you get? …All-ages, nice." Rikka: "You?" Seekermaster: "Everything! Help, I can't move!" Rikka: "No way, I'm dying—Comiket's nuts!"
Chaotic days, but I never skipped school. Seekermaster's rule.
Seekermaster: "Don't use 2D as an escape. It's a utopia for joy, not despair. A dark heart can't handle bad endings." Rikka: "…" Seekermaster: "Still scared?" Rikka: "…Yeah." Seekermaster: "Chin up. You already know something stronger than fear." Rikka: "…Yeah!! Human spirit is courage's song!!" Seekermaster: "Human greatness is courage's greatness!" Both: "Yay!!"
I kept attending school. With a pillar in my heart, bullying bounced off.
Always smiling, never reacting—bullies got bored, vanished.
Seekermaster's intense look and smell repelled them anyway.
Rikka: "Cross-sections and dialogue variants are a must." Seekermaster: "They make it 80% hotter."
A whirlwind year.
Graduation came. Perfect attendance, top student, gave the speech.
The bullies? Expelled for outside trouble. Wasted potential.
Under cherry blossoms:
Rikka: "Done! Graduated!" Seekermaster: "Cherry rain calls for song!" Rikka: "Aoge—" Seekermaster: "Wrong one!"
Our last silly chat.
Seekermaster: "Future plans?" Rikka: "Live alone! School while earning tuition. Sports or academic scholarships—whatever works. I'll make life fun!" Seekermaster: "Duf! Perfect!" Rikka: "Like you, I'll reach out to people in pain!" Seekermaster: "Splendid, Rikka-dono!"
He hands me something.
Seekermaster: "My mansion's key. Take it." Rikka: "Wha—!?" Seekermaster: "Lottery winnings, don't need it. Use it." Rikka: "Really!?" Seekermaster: "It's extra. My journey doesn't need it."
He's off on a "quest for truth and love."
Rikka: "Can't I come?" Seekermaster: "No way! Journeys are tough for middle school grads. Leave it to me! To the future!" Rikka: "Contact me! Promise!" Seekermaster: "I won't neglect my ally!" Rikka: "—Rikka." Seekermaster: "Hm?" Rikka: "Just Rikka. No more formalities. We're best friends!" Seekermaster: "…My honor." Rikka: "…sniff." Seekermaster: "Crying already? So soft, Rikka!" Rikka: "Is it wrong to cry when sad?" Seekermaster: "…No. That's humanity's worth." Both: "—Otasshade!!"
Tears held back, we parted smiling.
I lived in his mansion, cleaning, attending school.
He left billions in an open safe—"war funds, use freely." I never touched it.
Earned tuition, sent money to my parents.
At school, I joined conversations.
Rikka: "I'm Rikka Fujimaru! Love communication and culture! Hate betrayal and prejudice! Motto: If there's will, I'll befriend gods! Nice to meet you!"
My brightness drew friends fast.
I reached out to delinquents, troublemakers.
Rikka: "Hey! Call me Rikka!"
Like Seekermaster did for me, no bias, no fear.
Will opens endless chances for connection.
Taught studies, helped in clubs.
Soon, I was surrounded by people.
(Watching, Seekermaster? Am I living your way?)
Rikka: "…Hey, Seekermaster." Friend: "Rikka! What's up?" Friend: "Let's grab yakiniku!" Rikka: "Sure!"
Hectic, joyful days.
Turning Point One day, a man appeared at the mansion.
Man: "Rikka Fujimaru?" Rikka: "Yes?" Man: "From a certain family, I bring something." Rikka: "Something?" Man: "…And…"
A ticket labeled "General Entry."
Rikka: "Homunculus?" Man: "Yes. The one called 'Seekermaster' who lived here." Rikka: "—What?"
The world tilted.
His family, mages with a shallow lineage, aimed to "taste all existence to reach the Root." Seekermaster was their failed homunculus—ugly, no magic circuits, confined to this mansion.
I grabbed the messenger—sorry.
His life was short, too short for high school.
The family "discarded" him and the mansion, but he returned, begging one wish before his end:
"Send Rikka Fujimaru to Chaldea, with a study-abroad cover."
The family, fearing retribution, secured the ticket.
Man: "His parting gift to you."
His smell, his sweat—flaws of a failed homunculus.
I flipped the ticket.
"My life held no regrets."
"Forgive my meddling, Rikka-dono. As I said, no tears for a warrior's farewell."
"…Ah."
"You're probably overdoing it, huh? Take a break at an observatory. Know what Chaldea means? Observatory."
"…Ah…"
"I can't go, circumstances and all. Don't want to be tossed as trash, lol."
"…Aah…"
"One last thing: Don't hate anyone, Rikka. Don't let the world or people taint you with hate."
Tears blurred the words.
"Don't let ugly hatred dim your star-like shine. You, who touched 'culture' with me, saved me from sinking in hate. You get it, right? Hate makes people ugly. Don't worry, I hate no one now, lol."
"Ah, aah…"
"Sorry for hiding I was a failed homunculus. Couldn't leave you, so pure and wonderful, to be sullied."
The words wavered, etched with his last strength.
"Rikka-dono, I was happy meeting you."
"Farewell. Spread your wings at Chaldea, in the starry sense."
"Ah, aah! Aaaah—!!"
"May you have a good journey." —Your ally, Seekermaster
"Aaaah! Waaaah—!!"
I cried. For the past, the future, a lifetime's worth.
Until my tears and voice ran dry.
Next Day "…Here we go."
I packed and left the mansion.
I'd go to Chaldea, the stargazing observatory.
To see the beauty he couldn't. A short journey.
"…Our paths overlapped, huh, Seekermaster."
Dufufu! Second-hand, Rikka-dono!
His voice didn't come, but…
"…I've decided."
Turning back at the mansion:
"I won't give up. I'll move forward without hate. …Maybe not perfectly, okay?"
Laughing, I thrust my hand skyward.
"No matter where, I'll smile! No prejudice, all fun! Because—"
To reach the heavens:
"I make my life fun! Watch, Seekermaster! I'll live smiling! I'm glad I'm alive!"
Holding back tears, I looked up.
"Watch my journey, your friend!"
Don't trip, it'd ruin it, lol.
"…Yeah!"
Embracing the dark, the girl heads to the stargazing observatory.
A girl's strange tale, leading to zero.
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The battle isn't over... and the truth has yet to be revealed. Read the next chapter now on Patreon! [patreon.com/Greyhounds]