148 Magic-Devouring Dragon (1/2)

And so, the evening tea party concluded joyfully.

Seiji returned to his room first and sent his story to Shika’s email. After that, he sought out Mai.

Mai was waiting for him in front of a room on the third floor.

When she saw him arrive, she opened the door of the room for him and led him inside.

There was a large window directly across from the door in this room. The right side contained a row of bookshelves while a large desk outfitted with a comfortable-looking chair stood on the left side. There were three computer monitors arranged on the desk together with one laptop, some file-folders, books, and photographs.

Beside the desk was also a high-quality scanner/printer/copier machine in one—it was a common model which could be found at any business.

This room was obviously Natsuya’s study.

Mai turned on the printer, before starting the laptop and inputting a password.

”Go ahead and use this to download your contract and print it.”

”Okay, thanks.”

Seiji logged on to his email, downloaded the contract, and selected the ”print” option.

The printer whirred and quickly began printing his contract.

During this space of a few short seconds, Seiji scanned the bookshelves in search of anything interesting.

‘Aha... I found it!’

On the farthest left corner of the bookshelf, he noticed an entire row of manga books as well as a row of CD cases containing anime episodes.

”So the president’s also an anime and manga lover.”

Seiji sighed and walked over to take a closer look at these all-too-familiar items.

Even before temporarily moving into her residence, he already suspected that she might have such interests, but he never had the chance to ask her directly about it.

When Mai brought some manga for Shika-chan to read, he believed it was further evidence of his inference being correct.

That was because the manga was clearly used before, which meant that they weren’t purchased recently at a bookstore and were already here!

Natsuya Yoruhana wasn’t an otaku at all, but she did understand anime and manga to some extent. This meant that she would sometimes watch or read them, but she wasn’t at the level of an otaku, meaning she simply enjoyed them.

‘This is rock-solid evidence of her personal interests,’ Seiji thought to himself as he browsed through Natsuya’s collection. He felt even closer to her now.

”Indeed, Milady does enjoy these, especially anime and manga about Yin Yang Masters, demons, and spirits.” Mai smiled as she walked over to Seiji’s side. ”But she’s worried about the elders perceiving her as immature, so she restrains herself. She never watches or reads such things at her main home, and she’ll only do it here.”

Seiji snorted. ”Tsk, there are always some rigid old fellows who believe anime and manga are only for young children.”

Without even understanding the beauty of the 2-D world, they condescendingly looked down upon and discriminated against anime and manga. Just what was ”maturity” supposed to be to them?

Seiji could comment on this topic for well over a century.

‘Forget it. Anyhow...’

”These rigid old fellows will die eventually... whoops, I mean pass away. Just let them believe what they want; the future belongs to young people anyways.”

Mai covered her mouth to conceal a smile upon seeing the boy before her express such an obvious sense of distaste.

”Haruta-san, you’re really such a... resolute otaku.”

”Yep, that’s right. I’ve been one for my entire life.” Seiji smiled as an enigmatic light flashed through his eyes. ”I love anime and manga, and I love everything 2-D. All the beauty and brilliance humanity is capable of is within them. Well… of course some ugly or strange things are also in them, but that’s what makes them an enriching experience.

”Any person can find in manga and anime what they can’t find in reality. Perhaps what they are looking for doesn’t even exist in reality. Perhaps... they are seeking forbidden or taboo pleasure. Regardless of their nature, there are endless possibilities within manga and anime, because the limit is only human imagination! Everyone can find something to enjoy.

”We can find people with common interests and enjoy the experience together. We can also refuse to communicate with those whose views different ours, in order not to obstruct or harm others.

”Everyone can construct their own perfect world; that’s the type of place the land of manga and anime is.”

Dreamland, Utopia, Shangri-La, Fairy Land of Peach Blossoms... all of these were different terms for humanity’s fantasies. They were eternally peaceful and blessed places to live in. None of them had ever been actualized, and they might never appear.

But they existed in humanity’s imagination.

Fantasy and imagination were things that every human being could enjoy. The actualization of fantasy was the 2-D world.

That was because the 2-D world could display the splendor of such places!

At least that was what Seiji believed.