Chapter 55

□ Ichinomiya Nagisa

I started drawing illustrations, or more precisely, manga illustrations, around the time I was in the higher grades of elementary school.

It all began when I was invited by a friend to join the illustration club as part of our club activities.

The illustration club had books that served as references, detailing how to draw manga illustrations, and I would read these books and practice while drawing illustrations.

As I repeated this process, I began to draw in the format of a manga.

At first, I tried to draw a long story manga that was beyond my amateur capabilities, accumulating about three volumes' worth of pages in my notebook before giving up.

Incidentally, two of those volumes were setting notes.

...The content was rather poor.

However, I didn’t give up on drawing manga. Reflecting on my mistakes, I started drawing one-shot manga.

Initially, I only showed them to my friends in the illustration club (which became the manga club in middle school), but eventually, I was told, “Why don’t you submit this to a manga contest?”

The manuscript I submitted in a last-ditch effort was indeed rejected, but this rejection spurred me to submit more.

Continuing to submit manga for five or six years...

In the winter of my second year of high school, a manuscript I submitted to a manga contest was selected.

This manga was the first shonen manga I had ever drawn.

Unlike the romance-heavy shojo manga I had been writing, it was a story I thought, “I’d like to try drawing this.”

The selected manga was published in a magazine as a one-shot and, due to its popularity, the editor suggested, “Why don’t you submit a proposal for a serialized manga?”

I thought it would be impossible to continue the story I had just thought of, but once I started drawing, the story flowed smoothly.

In this way, the story progressed effortlessly, and by the time I graduated from high school, I had become a manga artist instead of a college student.

I had struggled with whether to go to college, but my parents encouraged me, saying, “Choose the life you love. We’ll support you if you have any problems,” which helped me decide to become a manga artist.

At that time, I shed a few tears.

Thus, I started my serialized manga in a monthly magazine.

At first, it was a continuous challenge as I was not used to it.

For research, I tried various martial arts and bought a lot of airsoft guns.

Occasionally, my parents, who visited me, would comment, “You look like a boy.”

Now, those are good memories.

The serialization continued for more than two years and gained moderate popularity. While it wasn’t one of the magazine’s flagship series, it was around the fifth most popular.

I even thought, “Maybe in another year or two, it might get an anime adaptation.”

However, the magazine I was serializing in went bankrupt around that time.

The cause was a financial collapse due to losses in departments other than manga.

Thus, my first serialization ended with the magazine’s suspension, along with the tagline “Part 1 Complete.”

At that time, I was in a daze for a while.

I remember spending hours, even days, muttering to myself, “What should I do now...”

But, as if a ray of hope in the darkness, an editor offered, “Would you like to continue your serialization in our magazine?”

It seemed that due to the collapse of the publishing company, there was a scramble for manga artists and their works, and my manga was fortunate enough to be picked up.

I was given time to think.

The time to think was not to consider the response.

The answer to the question, “Would you like to continue your serialization?” was only, “Yes! I’d be delighted!”

However... there was something else I had to consider.

It was that I couldn’t draw anymore.

I couldn’t draw the continuation of my manga.

With the end of the first part due to the magazine’s suspension, the protagonist—“Marie Adler”—stopped moving inside me.

No matter how hard I tried, it felt completely different from before.

She wasn’t moving in the story.

It was as if I was trying to move a corpse with a fishing line, a kind of illusion.

A slump.

It was as if I had forgotten how to breathe. I couldn’t draw my manga... Marie’s story.

Not only that, but I gradually couldn’t write other stories either, and I couldn’t even draw one-shots that had nothing to do with my manga.

I had always been serious about manga, putting my all into it.

But now, I couldn’t draw anymore.

I exhausted all my capabilities to try to make a comeback.

I traveled the world at my own expense for research, and I tried new skills like cooking, handicrafts, and ancient martial arts, thinking that they might give me a different perspective.

But it didn’t work.

I couldn’t imagine stories anymore, not as myself.

“God, please.

Please give me the possibility of being something other than myself.

Please let me write the continuation of her story.

Please let me understand her.”

That’s what I wished for strongly.

It was then that I remembered a game.

“Infinite Dendrogram offers you a new world and your own possibilities.”

This VRMMO, Infinite Dendrogram, swept the world with its slogan and content that lived up to the promise.

In this game, where all possibilities and lives were available, I felt I could find the continuation.

I felt that I could see the continuation of my manga, which had become invisible to me, and I harbored such a delusion.

I held onto hope.

That’s why I started Infinite Dendrogram.

I chose the avatar name “Marie Adler.”

I made her appearance resemble her—long black hair, tall and beautiful, always wearing sunglasses.

I also adjusted her mannerisms to match hers.

I used “Boku” as the first-person pronoun, and her speech was a bit quirky and polite.

I role-played as her in Infinite Dendrogram, thinking that something might be found this way. Something might start again.

I hoped that she would come back to life inside me... and I played her with that wish.

A year after starting Infinite Dendrogram, I still can’t draw the continuation.

But I feel it.

I feel Marie Adler’s breathing again, inside my heart, inside her.

That was enough reason for me to be in Infinite Dendrogram.

◇◇◇

□ [Reporter] Marie Adler

“Mmm♪ It’s been a long time since I had so much fun!”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

After I finished drawing, she continued to enjoy the square.

She savored the food from the stalls, which she wouldn’t usually eat, and played with water balloons, looking very happy.

Now, we are sitting side by side on a bench, licking cute animal-shaped candy.

Still, I wonder why the stalls here have such a Japanese festival vibe?

“Gideon is truly a city full of excitement. Just as Lord Britis said.”

“Lord Britis?”

“Yes, he often told me about the fun and excitement of Gideon!”

“Hmm.”

It’s a bit gray.

“Yes, you might have heard from Lord Britis, but Gideon is a city with many unique features.”

It’s close to the southern and eastern borders, so trade with Regendia and Cardina is thriving. It’s also just a few days’ walk from the western port town.

It’s also a popular resort within the kingdom, attracting many wealthy people and Masters due to its arena-based tourism.

Another point is that it’s the farthest from the northern border among major cities, so it’s free from the threat of Dryf.

“It’s the most prosperous city in the kingdom right now.”

“Yes, the faces of the people here are brighter than those I usually see on my walks...”

Let’s put aside the question of whether the princess usually sneaks out of the capital.

The princess seems a bit down, perhaps thinking about the usual atmosphere of the capital.

The people in the capital are full of anxiety about the war.

...Especially after the recent PK incident and the subsequent burning of the Noz Forest, the situation has worsened.

“It hurts a little.”

“Huh? What’s wrong, Marie? Are you feeling unwell?”

“No, I’m fine. But you seem to be thinking about the people in the capital. Don’t worry, the faces of the people in the capital will brighten up soon. The people in the castle are working hard for that, right?”

“...Yes! Big sister will be fine!”

“Yes.”

It’s impossible, though.

Good governance can stabilize a country when it’s self-contained.

But with a clearly hostile country, good governance alone can’t suppress anxiety and actual harm.

However, I don’t want to tell this child, “The capital’s anxiety will continue as long as the enemy country exists.”

It’s a comforting lie, but it seems to have cheered her up.

“I will continue to help Big Sister with her work!”

“Yes, please do your best, Princess.”

“Moo.”

Huh?

She seemed to be in a good mood, but now she’s suddenly sullen again.

“What’s wrong, Princess?”

“This!”

“This?”

“You’ve been calling me ‘Princess’ this whole time! I feel... a distance!”

You feel a distance, huh? I see, calling you by your title instead of your name might make you feel that way.

And the fact that you stumbled over your words might make you feel like I’m lying.

I am a bundle of lies, after all.

“Then I’ll call you Eri-chan.”

“...”

Ah, silence.

Did I get too close?

“Eri-chan...”

“Do you not like it?”

“No! I like Eri-chan! From now on, I’m Eri-chan!”

She likes it.

“Yes, Eri-chan.”

“Hehe.”

Oh, what a cute smile.

I want to take her home.

I want to cuddle and sleep with her.

...No, no, no, no, that’s completely a crime.

And it’s kidnapping a VIP.

Alright, that reminds me.

“By the way, Eri-chan, you said you sneaked out of your lodging. What was your purpose for coming to this city?”

“Gideon tourism!”

“I’m sorry, I asked the wrong way. What about your official duties?”

I ask, half-sure of the answer.

“Yes, I came to inspect tomorrow’s arena event.”

So, it’s the “Ultra-Class Clash,” the first event of its kind in Gideon.

It’s significant enough for the royal family to attend and add prestige.

“Big Sister will also come tomorrow.”

Eh?

“...Big Sister?”

“Yes.”

The older sister of Eri-chan, the second princess of the Alter Kingdom, is none other than the first princess and regent, Princess Althea A. Alter.

I don’t understand.

There’s no need for both of them to come just to add prestige. Is there something else?

“So, Eri-chan came to this city separately from your sister?”

“Yes, yesterday, as the ‘sibling’ of Big Sister, I greeted the Duke of Gideon and attended the pre-party for tomorrow’s banquet. It was quite busy.”

Don’t give so much responsibility to a little girl.

But that’s the duty of the royal family, I suppose.

“So today, I could sneak out and have a lot of fun!”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it, Eri-chan. Ah, I have something to do, so is it okay if we move?”

“Yes! The square is crowded!”

I stood up, holding Eri-chan’s hand, and threw away the candy stick in the trash can before leaving.

On the way, I glanced at a street lamp at the edge of my vision and saw something reflected on its metallic surface.

“...Are there three people following us?”

“What’s wrong?”

“No, nothing, Eri-chan.”

◇

After leaving the square in front of the arena, I took Eri-chan to the DIN Gideon branch.

DIN—Dendrogram Information Network—is one of the newspapers in Infinite Dendrogram.

Just as a Knight can join the kingdom’s knight order, and a Ninja or Spy can register in the ninja village of Heaven and Earth, a Reporter can join mass media organizations like newspapers and publishers around the world.

My manga’s protagonist, Marie, was also a journalist, so choosing the Reporter job was a given.

When I had to choose from among the many newspapers, I chose DIN.

DIN is not the largest in the industry, but it has branches in major cities of various countries.

It also operates as an information broker alongside its newspaper business and distributes information across borders, which I found appealing.

DIN has a branch in Gideon.

I learned the location of the scalper selling tickets for tomorrow’s event from a colleague at the Gideon branch.

Incidentally, all DIN-affiliated Masters, including myself, are treated as special correspondents. We travel to various places.

I started in Heaven and Earth, then moved through Granvaloa, Kōhaku, and Cardina before settling in Gideon, Alter Kingdom.

Masters are perfect for special correspondents because of their mobility, combat skills, and, most importantly, their ability to survive and bring back information.

...But if you’re a proper Reporter, you can’t engage in combat, so the penalty rate is high.

The Reporter skill “The Pen is Mightier than the Sword” has the disadvantage of preventing combat actions.

However, like the Paladin’s “Blessing of the Paladin,” this skill is only active for that job.

You can temporarily switch to a different job to invalidate it and engage in combat.

So, if a Reporter Master wants to travel, they switch to a different job to move, gather information as a Reporter at the scene, and then switch back to move again.

The only problem is that job switching can only be done at save points in cities.

You can also use a Job Crystal to instantly change your main job, but they are expensive and disposable.

Whether you stay a Reporter or switch jobs, each has its pros and cons.

But I don’t do either.

Back to the topic.

When Eri-chan entered the Gideon branch, she looked like a primary school student after a field trip.

Of course, she’s wearing a mask to avoid being recognized.

Many people with skills to see through disguises and detect false statuses, like Reporters, are around.

“This is how busy a newspaper office is.”

“Yes, we’re preparing for the coverage of tomorrow’s event. I’ve also been assigned a task.”

When I thanked the colleague for telling me about the scalper, I was given various reporting tools. They want a detailed record since it’s a special seat.

They have media seats, but it’s better to have multiple angles.

It’s important in combat sports, and I know this from using reference photos when drawing manga.

We didn’t stay long at the Gideon branch. After greeting, we were given two pieces of information and left.

◇

The information I obtained from the Gideon branch was about two noble families.

The first is the Gideon Duke family, which governs this city.

The current Duke of Gideon, Ashvalley Gideon, is a fifteen-year-old boy.

He inherited the dukedom after his father, the previous Duke, died of illness two months ago.

He officially took over the dukedom a month ago after his coming-of-age ceremony.

The coming-of-age ceremony is significant in the Alter Kingdom. During wars, it’s customary for the heir, not the head of the family, to participate.

It might seem backwards, but the idea is that only those who survive such hardships and trials are worthy of the next generation of nobility.

However, he didn’t participate in the war six months ago because he hadn’t yet had his coming-of-age ceremony.

A military officer serving the dukedom represented the family and died in the war, so the Duke was lucky.

But it’s not all good.

Currently, the city of Gideon is experiencing a series of kidnappings by the Gouz Maze bandits.

The incidents started during the previous Duke’s lifetime and continue unresolved.

This has led to doubts about the young Duke’s ability to maintain law and order and manage his territory.

Some nobles are even suggesting that someone else should take over.

However, the first princess and the influential nobles who run the country trust the Gideon Duke family and have no intention of removing him.

If the Gouz Maze bandits continue to cause harm, the situation might change, but someone might solve it unexpectedly.

The second is the Britis Duke family.

The Britis Duke family owns land between Gideon and the Western Sea port town.

The current head, Duke Alzare Britis, is sixty years old but still energetic.

He’s the one who instilled in Eri-chan the “fun of Gideon,” but he has had a strained relationship with the Gideon Duke family since the previous Duke’s time.

They didn’t get along, and there was a significant difference in the internal wealth between the Gideon Duke family, which has an arena city, and the Britis Duke family.

There were other issues as well.

At this point, it’s strange.

Why would Duke Britis, who dislikes the Gideon Duke family, tell Eri-chan about the “fun of Gideon”?

Normally, he would say negative things about someone he dislikes.

There are plenty of flaws in the city to point out.

But he only shared positive information.

It seems he wanted Eri-chan to be interested in Gideon and walk around the city.

What he plans to do with her walking around is still a guess.

By the way, here’s another piece of information about Duke Britis.

Duke Britis had a son in his later years.

Duke Britis was very doting on his son, loving him as if he were his own eye.

He had completed his coming-of-age ceremony and was officially recognized as the heir, and his future was promising.

Yes, he had completed his coming-of-age ceremony by the time of the recent war.

He participated in the war as a representative of his father, Duke Britis, following the custom.

Duke Britis, worried about his son,