Sitting at the table, drinking tea, trying to figure how I sank to this life. Start with: this smiling cheerful teacher girl is the local mafia boss's granddaughter. As they say, everyone has flaws; I'm a budding maniac! But weird why with those connections she's just a teacher? Cover? Or my paranoia.
But minor details. The true abyss: living under one roof with a Japanese MC trope—not desirable for many reasons, and dying as a side character he later avenges isn't the main one!
Mostly bugs me that half the upcoming war's Masters will hang here with Servants. And I'm aiming to join and win—meaning kill everyone!
Yeah, war goal: kill enemy Servants, and Masters if they wish. But recalling anime nuances—Masters don't quit easy, meddle everywhere, even ally with new Servants!
So drop "if they wish": kill Servants AND Masters! Problem: they'll spot me quick. Not into "friendship is magic"; sure, see what Servant I get, but no alliances anyway.
My plan: hide, wait till they kill each other, then backstab. Yeah, not pretty—but when any wish is on the line, all means fair!
*Elbowed.*
"Aaaa? Yes yes, me too." No clue what asked, but leave me be, can't you see I'm not here.
Finally surfacing from thoughts, noted local protag: thought he was Shiro, not Shirou. And hair red, not ginger. But two factors: watched anime ages ago dubbed, so name mix-up fine. Hair color: relatively real world, not drawn anime. Makes me wonder how other chars differ from screen to reality. And if I'll recognize them.
Maybe slightly different world, my knowledge worthless. City name mismatch too. In such heavy thoughts I spent the evening. Nice: got own room, pondering again—gotta live solo, even studio. But not now, not this year. Half-listened; first year here apparently.
Eh, luckily 2-3 years spare, time to move. Gut screams distance from local protag—talk less, no friendship. Maybe dumb; could fake friendship, glom on, center of events, plot armor protects. But instincts yell—RUN! I'll listen.
Found silver lining surprisingly! Notebook has Servant summoning circle note in local shed. No break-in needed—just find camera, snap it. Hm, and scour house for magic books! Any! Even 1 beats my past zero! Yesss, upsides. Positive mindset key! Slept with that.
Next days: wandering city with parents, sights, daily buys. Beach too—beach good.
Peaceful summer days, till one day another canon char showed at our Japanese MC trope. Didn't recognize at first, till she intro'd—Sakura. And my ass clenched. Notebook mixes real anime memories with my hypotheses, assumptions, theories.
So Sakura—Yandere traits, once Rin Tohsaka's sister, given to another family. Then some... mmm... dark shit there with bugs core to that family's magic. Y'know, Asians' fave demonic bugs trope with weird properties. Now third of her body—worms constantly eating her. To not die, she hunts nights and eats people.
Saw clip of her running fairy tale world—like ponies eating rainbows shitting butterflies—but reality dismemberment cannibalism. Then ate Gilgamesh—strongest Servant! Assume she does horrors unconsciously asleep, but doesn't ease me!
And now this walking trash smiles sweetly, offers Shiro handmade bento! My parents coo; my ass clenches in horror. "Ah, how cute calling him SENPAI"—run, damn it, run! What I wanna yell at the cutesy! They explain who I am/what I'm doing. She eyes me: "senpai, SENPAI?" Mine clenches; yeah, emotions right.
Rest of evening till Sakura left: nerves. But self-control saved; if noticed, chalked to shyness. Another reason to bail! Can't voice it, so dodge when she visits. Many knowledges, many sorrows. Mda.
Think: this city has no shortage of superpowered maniacs! How do I snag victims without becoming one? Knew what I signed for. But damn, don't throw raid boss at me first!
*A month later.*
Man adapts to all, even predator NEH cooking dinner home 2x/week! Parents gone two weeks; new school year in new school. Eye this class, recalls one anime—forgot exact title, but nailed my feelings: "my youth spring? High school all illusion?"
Something; point: maybe spoiled, but no cute girls again. Puberty not hit below belt yet, but damn—sexy high school girls! Hoped to at least grope... eh. Karma?
***
Read the story months ahead of the public release — early chapters are available on my Patreon: patreon.com/Granulan