Volume 1 Chapter 3 (1/2)
Hoshi+nomori Chiaki and Proximity Connection
Translator: Skythewood
Editors: Deus Ex-machina, Perditor
“Uwah… A”
I couldn’t help praising it as I fiddled with the control pad connected to my computer
The gaames
By using existing art work and traditional RPG structure, the gaic bit the Super Famicon era
Which was known as free games
They are gae online I was playing an adventure game made by the most popular RPG maker software
Although the graphics were constructed using the RPG software, the garowth ele and storytelling gaareatly, but if you ask ──
“Eh… I need to use this here?”
I controlled the irl, and chose the ‘key of death’ I just got from the item selection box to enter the new room, ‘room of poison’── And what appeared beforeabout as they groaned in an unknown language
“ Woah, the creator is sick in the head as usual…”
I gulped By the way, ‘sick in the head’ ishim
Actually, this gaa raame was made really carefully… Unfortunately, there were too many ‘super developments’
The super development wasn’t natural too, it was so bizarre that the player would feel they were playing another gaht the creator would explain in detail later, but he just tossed all the earlier storyline ahich makes me wonder what the point of all that was
It was iaae super develope was unexpectedly nors of free gah that game
Aside froa it nicely, unique; putting it not so nicely──
“I don’t get what the content is saying”
It could only be described in such a way, as if so visualized
But such ga the open-… How should I put this? I don’t think the works of this person werethat ‘outstanding’
His style always follows a set route: ‘The story starts out interesting, turns into shambles because of the super develop in a‘deep’ about the super development either, so you can’t really talk about it with others
A work that co, and no taste (I coined the term ‘4chan’ for this) This was the style of this creator─ ‘nobE’
But soames made by ‘nobE’
I couldn’t really answer properly even if you ask me why The flaws I mentioned earlier bother me and the super developree ative comments
But even so, I still look forward to neorks by ‘nobE’
As I thought blankly about the creator while I explored the ‘roo
“The adverts by the h” “The ice crea” “Why do they want to fileneric comment which includes a discount code as a product review” “It’s a little too late to release a huge DLC now” “The trend of jacking up the prices by adding the words ‘limited edition’” “Physical ability and talent are two different things” “Oh, so ‘this game enhanced the internet communication functions’ huh?” “No matter how I look at it, it's your own fault that you are not popular”
“So the poison in the ‘rooue!”
I retorted to the screen, and a smile appeared on my face
That’s right, it was this kind of feeling I couldn’t explain it clearly, but this hy I always have a sames by this creator
This was different froame sucks too ames made by this person… his worldview feels very comfortable to me
Like his choice of words for the ga pictures, way he uses the s All these elements suit my taste perfectly
The occasional gli refreshes also resonated with me It even surprised me that there is someone with such compatible sensibilities as me
I was definitely drawn to the ‘personality’ part of the creator
That ender This was norue the creator was on his private life, he must have taken extra care to protect his privacy The only thing that was clear was his internet handle ‘nobE’
And of course, I didn’t interact with the creator either I would leave(basically coes posted on the blog Even so, I had never received any response But I like the icy attitude of ‘nobE’ too, a true die hard fan
“Erm, next will be… this way?”
After exploring the entire ‘room of poison’, I made the main character enter the next rooh I was exploring aa tunnel, a room in the bottom of the sea suddenly popped up
I was stunned, but still explored the surroundings──
── The next iant jelly fish suddenly appeared and killed theher!
“Huh?”
The unreasonable situation made ames made by this creator, so there wasn’t any need to panic I just need to reload an earlier save file So I waited quietly for the screen proae still didn’t appear, and only the jellyfish that ate the main character remained on the middle of the screen
””
Thinking ‘it can’t be’, I timidly press the left button on the directional pad, and──
── The giant jellyfish moved one step to the left
“Can the main character be switched in such a way!?”
Even a die hard fan likeat the screen Ier brother came from next door: “B-Bro, what’s the matter?”
I answered: “I-It’s nothing” and turned ame screen
To confirht on the directional pad The Jellyfishto my input commands
I looked at the screen dumbfoundedly for a moment, but a s
As I continued controlling the jellyfish and played the game… I muttered subconsciously:
“Really, just what kind of person… is ‘nobE’”
And of course, I are that many people had different personality or remain anonymous
But even so, I was still very interested in this person ‘nobE’
“Hey Aame made by ‘nobE’ is incredibly nonsensical!”
On a certain o to his seat, and headed straight forhe did was complain to me loudly
I tried greeting hied me, and approached with a fierce attitude that e
“I trusted you because you reco forward to it when I saw all the puzzles and foreshadowing!”
“Yes, the beginning is interesting”
“That’s right! Not just that, when the super developa myself ‘Well, Amano recommended it, so the story will be …’!”
“Woah Uehara-kun, I think your personality of not giving up ireat”
I tried soothing him with compliments, but it was not effective Uehara-kun said with a tre fist: “In the end… In the end…” He then sla, and roared with tears in his eyes:
“Why is the ending an arrogant bearded old e black bass!? What the hell! What happened to the haunted mansion in the first half of the story!?”
“Ara~~ Isn’t that interesting?”
“What’s interesting about that!? Your taste is too weird! That is just a trash game!”
“Yup, probably”
I answered honestly, and Uehara-kun grabbed his head and squirmed
“You actually agreed! Then why recommend it to me!? Out of ill will? You wish ill on me!?”
“How can that be! A tenth of it is out of goodwill!”
“So ill will is nine-tenths!? damn it, coa ‘Ame Talk’!”
<tl: アメトーーク=”” ame=”” talk=””>
“Ah, their seght was super interesting”
“So you did watch that!”
Uehara-kun strangled ned et to experience such friends-like interaction, this was like a dreae patch of flowers around randraphs──
“Ughh, you are strangling me too seriously!”
I hurriedly shook away Uehara-kun’s hands He answered e: “I ary Oh no, I had coe the distance between friends
I apologized to Uehara-kun depressedly
“I-I aaht like it”
“Huh?? Ah In the end, this incident started because I asked you whether ‘you have any games only insiders would recommend’ My bad, I overreacted”
Uehara-kun scratched his head as he said that, then sat down in the seat in front of ain: “I am sorry”
Uehara-kun sighed and said: “It’s fine” But he immediately followed up with: “But…”
“I don’t get why you find this thing char at all”
“Ah~~ … well maybe…”
I didn’t refute The truth was, aside from the internet, I had never met anyone else who praises the work of ‘nobE’
I answered with a wry smile:
“Eh, but I do feel that game is really bad”
“Isn’t that right? Basically, your taste in games isn’t too different from me In fact, the stuff you reco, that’s why I trusted your judgement so much”
“Thank you”
Hearing soamers However, Uehara-kun put his elbow on my table and rolled his eyes
“And that’s why I don’t understand why you recommended that It feels like a prank”
“Ah~~ you are right…”
“Ugh, hey hey, aren’t you going to deny it?”
Seeot blindsided I scratched my cheeks
“Ehh~~ … Well, I don’t have any excuse How should I put this, the char it antly, those who don’t understand won’t, it’s just like one’s taste in food”
“Food huh… If I have to say, this isn’t ais actually food It can’t be called a game”
“Maybe But I like this”
“ You like bearded oldfor black bass?”
“Not that What I like is the details within the game, or its worldview”
“I don’t get you…”
After saying that, Uehara-kun leaned onto the chair’s back, rocking the chair on its hind legs as he crossed his arms behind his head…To be honest, I couldn’t explain further If I had to use a great example I haven’t used before…
With a laugh, I put up a cool front and said:
“That’s right, Uehara-kun, this is so like love, and can’t be explained with reasons”
”… What the hell is a cherry boy like you saying to a guy with a girlfriend?”
“Ugh”
Ae! My face turned red with shame!
“T-That’s not the point! I a purely about spiritual connection! M-Maybe you and your girlfriend already have… erm, a more intimate connection”
“Ahh?”
“Hmm?”
For some reason, my words stunned Uehara-kun… a moment later, the redness of his face could even rival aze… Could it be…
“Erirlfriend for almost half a year…”
“Ah, that’s right! Spiritual connection is i!”
”……”
Strange? Could it be, Uehara-kun appeared to be very frivolous, but was unexpectedly──
“E-Enough about me, what about you? You!”
Uehara-kun suddenly accused me to conceal his embarrassment I tilted my head
“Me? Well, I told you I didn’t interact with ‘nobE’ at all…”
“Who’s asking you about that! I mean you and Tendo, Tendo!”
He mentioned an unexpected name, which made me tilt my head blankly
”Tendo-san? H about reet Misumi-san when I meet him on the corridor by chance, or chat with him a little”
I didn’t meet the upperclassmen since then, much less Tendo-san as from a completely different realm…
”Tendo-san and I don’t have anything in co”
I replied in a tone insinuating: ‘What’s the point of asking this now?’ Uehara-kun showed a stupefied expression for some reason
“Are you… serious?”
“Het dumped?”
“Eh, I don’t mean that… After that time, you didn’t see Tendo around much?”
“? Yes, that’s right There are ti is, we interacted in the past, so I got better at noticing her fro this way?”
I realized how disgusting I was, and felt a little depressed Maybe I still had lingering feelings for Tendo-san, or held on to some hope People with chunnibyou were really troublesome
When I suilt, Uehara-kun looked even more stupefied
“You… You aren’t dense, but your self esteem is too low, and a bit off in your taste”
“? Off? Ehh… Ah, you ames made by ‘nobE’?”
“No, not that, I et it It’s funny that way too But you have to be careful about drifting too far apart, and losing the hook”
“? Drifting too far apart? Ah, it’s fine, youfor a while The effect distance for proximity connection for the 3DS is further than expected”
“ Is that so”
Uehara-kun answered disinterestedly… What’s going on? I felt our dialogue was out of sync Was this the gulf between nerd game players and normies?
── At this moment, I suddenly noticed a request for aid fro Uehara-kun, I checked and found a e fro with Uehara-kun, but found hi at the phone screen
”Ah, Uehara-kun, are you interested? I can send an invite──”
”Well, not really I’m interested about the person on the other end… What’s the naain? One of the reason you rejected Tendo’s invitation…”
“Hmm? Ah, you mean ‘MONO’?”
“Yes Connecting spiritually with soround of, don’t it have the feeling of destiny about it?”
I didn’t iy
“It would be great if the other party is a beautiful young girl Sigh, but I won’t mind even if ‘MONO’ is a old man”
“Huh… Could it be your preference is…”
Uehara-kun backed away as if that was true I hurriedly explained:
“N-No, that’s wrong! I just think that if we can chat about gaender of the other party wouldn’t uys”
“Oh… I see… You really think of ga…”
“Not at all I often think: ‘will a pretty girl fall from the sky’?”
“Your taste lean too ”
“That rind the stats like in gal ga from the sky, and that the other party will like me unconditionally!”
“That’s too depraved!”
Uehara-kun sighed with a stupefied expression, then stared blankly at my phone screen After I finished the help quest, then asked:
“ Oh right, why did you pick your internet handle to be ‘Tsucchi’? Since your fa like ‘Rain’”
After hearing his question, I answered while thinking that it is rather eames:
“To be honest, I will name the hero Rain or Keita when I play RPGs But I prefer distancing myself for internet handles…”