I Saved Too Many Girls and Caused the Apocalypse: Volume 13

by Namekojirushi

  “Wait, in this world?”

  I suddenly stood up with a gasp. Then I grabbed Touko by the hand and dragged her along with me as I broke out into a run.

  “Wh-Wh-What’s wrong?”

  My abrupt actions inspired a rare glimpse of confusion in Touko.

  “I just thought of something.”

  As I entered the school through the main doorway, I turned to look at Touko and said...

  “Let me teach you how big the world really is.”

  ▽

  From there, I took Touko to the student council room where the festival committee was headquartered. Since I was a helper for the committee, they let me in without issue.

  “Here, have some tea.”

  While we waited for President Momone to return, the vice president poured us some tea.

  “Ah, thanks.”

  “So, what kind of women trouble have you gotten yourself into now?” the vice president whispered scornfully as she glanced over at Touko.

  “Er, well, I can’t say it’s not trouble... but it’s probably not what you’re imagining.”

  I wasn’t very good at dealing with the VP, so my reply wasn’t exactly convincing.

  “Hmm...” she scoffed with a dubious look as she returned to her seat.

  All I could do was sigh. But just then, someone called out to me from the door.

  “Hey, Rekka.”

  It was Yorun.

  “Hey, Yorun. How’s life been treating you on this side?”

  “It’s okay. Momone has been very good to me.”

  Ever since the whole cursed game debacle, Yorun had been staying at President Momone’s house. She used to be a resident of this world, so she was adjusting to her forgotten life here as she searched for her true origins. She had no real leads and couldn’t remember anything, so the prospects were pretty grim, but Yorun herself was pretty optimistic.

  “You’ve been with the student council the whole time, haven’t you? Don’t you wanna go see the festival?”

  “Well, I feel calmer around people I know. And I did go have a look at your class event earlier, Rekka.”

  “Oh, really?”

  “Yeah, I went all the way there, but you weren’t even around. But now you’re visiting me here, so I guess we’ll call it even,” Yorun joked with a cheerful laugh.

  “Honestly, Rekka Namidare, there really are girls following you around no matter where you go.”

  “Please refrain from saying anything that might invite misunderstanding, Touko...”

  I broke out into a cold sweat as I pleaded with her. The vice president was already glaring this way...

  “Anyway, it would be nice if you could tell me why you brought me here already. It looked like you asked for something from that girl with the eyepatch earlier, no?” Touko asked without a care for my predicament.

  “Yeah, she’ll probably be back with it soon.”

  Just as I said that, President Momone returned to the student council room.

  “Here, problem child. I went and fetched it just for you.”

  “Thank you very much, President Momone.”

  I accepted the plastic bag President Momone offered me and peeked inside before thanking her.

  “But what are you going to do with that thing?” President Momone asked, dubiously cocking her head to the side.

  “Well, a challenge... Oh, that’s right. We actually need to play this, so can I borrow your computer?” I asked, pointing to the PC in the student council room.

  “Hmm...” President Momone pondered the matter before agreeing. “Fine. Knowing you, you have your reasons for this.”

  With that, President Momone summoned the VP, and the two of them left the room together. Now it was just me, R, Yorun, and Touko left inside. Doing this shouldn’t be a problem with that lineup.

  I then walked over to the PC with Touko.

  “Okay, Touko. It’s time for our next match.”

  “Sure. What are we doing?”

  “Well, we’re playing a computer game.”

  “A game?”

  “Yup. It’ll be a one-on-one duel inside the game. We’ll decide the winner that way.”

  “That’s fine with me, but... are you sure? A fight in a game where the rules are clear and victory is so easily definable, I’ll win no matter what. You know that, right?”

  “That’s... Well, we won’t know until we try.”

  “Hmm, very well.”

  “Then here we go,” I said as I booted up the game.

  The next moment, Touko and I were sucked into the light of the computer screen. Before I knew it, we were in the inn—the very same inn where I’d last saved the game.

  “...Where is this?”

  “The game world. This is a cursed game,” I explained to a dumbfounded Touko.

  But she soon accepted the situation and said with a strained laugh, “I was wondering how we were going to battle in a role-playing game... So this is what you meant, huh?”

  “Yeah. This game allows friendly fire, so we can hit each other. We’ll use that to decide the winner.”

  “And the rules?”

  “One-on-one. We’ll both use the starter gear we can get at the shop. Sound good to you?”

  “Sure.”

  Touko readily agreed, just like she had to all of our previous matches. We promptly went and bought equipment, then moved to an isolated section of road some distance from the town.

  “Not only are you acquainted with an angel and a fairy, but you had something like this up your sleeve... Honestly, today has been one surprise after another.”

  “Right? This world has lots to offer that you don’t know about, Touko.”

  “So it seems. However... that doesn’t mean things won’t go my way in the end.”

  “Yeah? Let’s test that theory!”

  My voice became the signal to start. I kicked off the ground and swung my longsword. Compared to a samurai like Chirika, my movements were embarrassingly amateur. Despite that, Touko continued to remain expectant, waiting silently as I approached... then she sighed.

  “I understand your earnest approach, but it won’t work. You’ll never be able to hit m—”

  Thunk!

  I swiftly brought my longsword down on Touko’s shoulder, leaving her unable to finish her sentence.

  “Wh-What?! O-Ow...”

  With a confused look, she backed away from me in a fluster. Her face made it all too clear how confounded she was that I’d managed to slip past her power.

  “If you’re wondering what just happened, the answer is simple.”

  “Huh?”

  “This is a game world. The rules of the game control everything. In other words, anything that isn’t reflected in your stats doesn’t exist here.”

  “...!”

  With that meager explanation, Touko seemed to understand everything. Or perhaps it was the pain in her shoulder that had opened her eyes.

  “Hahaha!”

  Nevertheless, she laughed. And quite heartily, at that.

  “But we’re still evenly matched! In a game like this, there’s no discrimination in the stats between men and women, right? So I still have a chance at winning, and that’s all I need!” she declared, lifting her longsword up and rushing at me like I had at her earlier.

  I readied myself and parried the incoming attack with my own longsword, which was identical to hers in every way.

  “Huh?”

  “Sorry, but we’re not evenly matched at all,” I said with a grin. A daring one, or maybe even a sly one, I should say. “I told you stats were everything, right? I’ve played a little bit of this game already, so I’m currently level two. And naturally, since you just started, you’re still level one.”

  And that made all the difference in a game like this where level difference was absolute. The only way Touko would stand a chance against me would be to gang up on me with other characters.

  “...What’s with that?” Touko said with a wry smile
.

  “Well, that’s how it is. If you want to surrender, now’s your chance.”

  “No way,” Touko laughed. Despite her strained smile, she continued laughing. “I’m finally set to lose, so at least do me the honor properly.”

  “Roger that.”

  This was the defeat she had yearned for, so I would gladly grant her wish. We both raised our longswords and brought them down together.

  Epilogue

  When the sun finally started to set, most of the stalls started to shut down. Then it was at last time for the grand finale of the third day of the collaboration festival—MIO’s surprise concert.

  “Students of Mitsuhashi and Juumonji High Schools, as well as all the visitors who came to the joint festival! Thank you for three days of hard work and good fun! As a little reward for everything you’ve done, please enjoy my special performance and close out this year’s festival with a bang!”

  Mio’s lovely voice echoed all over the campus through the PA system, causing all the students, families, and faculty members to cheer at once. There were fans of MIO’s in the crowd who were unbearably excited to hear about the surprise event she was having here. It really was a great way to close out the festival with a bang.

  “Wow, Mio really is amazing...” I remarked in wonder.

  Her singing voice was enchanting crowds all over the school. Some people were listening intently, and some were just enjoying it as the background music to the final moments of a great festival.

  Which was it for me, I wonder? I was honestly feeling a bit wistful, but maybe that was just from the overwhelming relief of having saved another girl from her suffering.

  “She sings some good songs,” Touko murmured beside me, looking up at the stage.

  After losing to me in the game world, I let her recover at the inn before we returned to reality. She had a calm, refreshed look on her face I hadn’t seen before.

  “But I still have to say using that cursed game was unfair,” she said.

  “The power of your words is way more unfair,” I said right back, retuning her banter with more banter.

  “You may be right,” she agreed with a laugh. “The world truly is a big place... Far bigger than I ever imagined.”

  “Don’t worry. Even outside the game, there are plenty of other worlds and even outer space. In the grand scope of things, your power only plays a small part in the picture.”

  “Somehow that’s actually convincing coming from you,” Touko replied with a laugh. “I feel like everything will be okay. I can live with a little more peace of mind thanks to you. Because if I ever lose control, you’ll make sure to stop me, right?”

  “But I know you won’t, Touko.”

  In her own words, she might just be a weak human, but...

  “You’re too kind.”

  “Huwah...?”

  Touko let out a strange noise, taken aback by the sudden compliment. She must have been embarrassed, because she quickly turned away.

  “I think I figured out why you’re always surrounded by girls,” she said, fiddling with her bangs.

  I could get why she was feeling bashful, but I didn’t think it was anything worth blushing over.

  “Rekka!”

  As I was chatting with Touko, Satsuki and the other girls spotted us and came over. Though my first high school festival was long, fraught, and exhausting, I think everyone ended up having fun in the end. Maybe next year I’ll join the festival committee proper so I can help President Momone plan something even bigger and better... It might have just been wishful thinking, but all kinds of grand, dreamy thoughts passed through my mind as the seemingly magical night wore on. Endless possibilities lay ahead.

  —Fin—

  Afterword

  This is the thirteenth volume of the multi-dimensional battle love comedy with the outrageous character map at the front. Long time no see to everyone coming from volume 12, and it’s nice to meet all of you who bought all 13 books at once.

  This volume was sort of like a collection of short stories, but they all vaguely connected to the overall storyline. The story about the game world was something I’d wanted to write about for a while now, the same as the tour of the legendary lands last time. Speaking of games, however, I recently started a pen and paper RPG with some authors I know. The only analog game I’ve ever played before was cards, so it was an interesting experience.

  It’d be fun to see the characters of Little Apocalypse play a pen and paper game too, but there are just too many of them to manage! (Right?!) Honestly, playing a tabletop game opened my eyes, though. I had no idea there were so many different kinds of games. I’ve had an author knowledgeable about them teach me all kinds of things, and it’s been very fun.

  Now for the acknowledgments. To Mr. Nao Watanuki: We’ve finally passed the 30-heroine mark, but thank you very much for always giving them such charming designs. Touko’s rainbow hair and her mysterious aura were wonderful. The colored game-style illustrations were my personal favorites. Thank you as always.

  To Mr. Kinoshita: Thank you for checking the plot and manuscript for this volume.

  And to all the personnel in the HJ Bunko editing and sales departments, the bookstore attendants that stocked this series, the readers that picked up this book, and everyone who has taken part in Little Apocalypse before, please accept my sincerest gratitude! Please continue supporting it.

  I plan on bringing you volume five of Boku to Kanojo ga Geboku de Dorei de Shuujuu Keiyaku (from Fujimi Fantasy Bunko) next. I also have some other cool stuff planned for this year, so please look forward to it! Let’s meet again soon.

  This is the illustrator Nao Watanuki, here for a New Year’s afterword!

  Thanks for sticking around until the end.

  Your rough this time is of the new knight Yorun. Her little topknot (?) is my favorite part. She’s a tall, sleek powerhouse! I spent a lot of time thinking about her design, and I hope the illustrations accurately depict her strength.

  Bubble: Oh, and here’s a guest from the manga!

  I had a lot of fun imagining what the other characters would have been if they ended up in the RPG world. I like world-crossing stories like that.

  (Tsumiki would either be a merchant or a beast tamer. I wonder which...)

  To Namekojirushi and the editors, thank you for your hard work. I’m grateful for all your support again this time around!

  Rekka

  Fight

  >Run

  Evade

  Talk

  Satsuki

  Fight

  Run

  >Magic

  Jealousy

  Iris

  >Fight

  Run

  Scuffle

  Plead

  Rosalind

  Fight

  Run

  Tear

  >Boast

  I hope you’ll all help me out in the new year too!

  Nao Watanuki

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  Copyright

  I Saved Too Many Girls and Caused the Apocalypse: Volume 13

  by Namekojirushi

  Translated by Mana Z

  Edited by Megan Denton

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  Copyright © 2015 Namekojirushi

  Illustrations Copyright © 2015 Nao Watanuki

  Cover illustration by Nao Watanuki

  All rights reserved.

  Original Japanese edition published in 2015 by Hobby Japan

  This English edition is published by arrangement with Hobby Japan, Tokyo

  English translation ©
2019 J-Novel Club LLC 5s69wer

  All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher is unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property.

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  Ebook edition 1.0: April 2019