Character Story 7: Truth of the World ≺ My First Friend

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Having something to tell Yuuki, Yuni calls him to the "Ivory Tower".

Yuni
Hey, my comrade. Sorry about that, having you come all this way.

Yuni
You've been quite the help. So I figured I had an obligation to tell you what happened.

Yuni
Now then, there are two things I need to tell you. There's good news and bad news. Which do you want to hear first?

Yuuki
1. Good news.
2. Bad news.

Option 1.

Yuni
Going straight for the positive then. I don't dislike that part of you.

Option 2.

Yuni
Hey now, don't you know how jokes work? Remember this, it's proper manners to ask for good news at times like this.

End of branches.

Yuni
Anyway, I'll start from the good news. Here goes. Get ready to raise both your arms and jump, screaming in joy.

Yuni
Uhh, behold, my lost notebook has returned.

Yuuki
1. Really?

Yuni
Yes, look here. A nameless instructor brought it here not too long ago.

Yuni
Gosh, thanks, my comrade. I'm happy you're jumping for joy that much.

Yuuki
1. Where was it?

Yuni
Sounds like it was in the incinerator. The janitor just happened to catch sight of it, and he thought maybe it was thrown out by mistake, so he reported it to the student affairs office.

Yuni
When I'd heard that story, chills went through my whole body. I'd remembered then. In other words, I'd forgotten. It was true that I'd gone over to throw it out myself.

Yuni
It's not a joke. I'd really forgotten all about it. I suppose I must be an unreliable narrator.

Yuni
This phenomenon wasn't just a simple a obstruction of cognizance. This is on the level of a manipulation of memories. It seems to me that the system to maintain the world have prepared a precaution against me.

Yuni
It's an understatement to say that this feels horrible, but well, whatever. It's likely this feeling of displeasure will also be wiped out and forgotten. I'll take this affair as a warning from the world.

Yuni
Enough struggling against the powers that be. I'll be an adult. Better to protect myself than to fix the world.

Yuni
I'm not satisfied with it, but it's inevitable. From now on, no more doubting the gods or the world, I'll just live in the darkest ignorance.

Yuni
I'm an atheist though.

Yuni
Well, somehow or other, my notebook is back. With this, the case is settled.

Yuni
All is right with the world. And we lived happily ever after, yay.

Yuuki
1. Then you can progress with your thesis?

Yuni
Hmm...

Yuni
That's right, you still don't seem to understand the current circumstanaces. No, it's fine if you don't. It's fine if only the gods have their eyes on me.

Yuni
Now I'll give you the bad news. The thing about that thesis is, I've decided to start all over with it.

Yuni
A reason? It's simple. "The fundamental falsehoods that lurk within the world." It's clear that topic was too much for me to handle.

Yuni
Strictly speaking, it's more specifically, revealing that topic to the world.

Yuuki
1. What do you mean?

Yuni
Hm, I'll explain it more realistictly. I received a request to redo my research topic.

Yuni
Or rather... I should say that the academy sent that request through the school.

Yuni
Well, to put into layman's terms, the examiners put a big "no" on my entry sheet.

Yuni
This includes the one in charge of student affairs, Mother Hilda, unfortunately. She was quite bewildered. It seems they snickered at her, thinking "just what are they teaching our students?"

Yuni
According to them, my research was clearly outside the bounds of study. She was told such megalomania would be better off as part of a play or work of literature.

Yuni
It's unfortunate that they wouldn't even give it a chance, but, hm, if you asked me whether I saw this reaction coming, my answer would be yes, I completely saw it coming.

Yuni
Why? It's because, in order to keep us commoners from thinking more than we should, the world is functioning in a way that makes everyone equal.

Yuni
And even those referred to as intelligent beings in the academy were no exception. I had hopes that my thesis would be the trigger to release them from their obstructed cognizance --

Yuni
-- But unfortunately, that did not happen.

Yuni
And that is why, my comrade Yuuki. I will abide by the will of the world, and put an end to my research here. How about we give a that neighborhood archeology another shot starting tomorrow?

Yuni
Now, to recharge a new set of batteries, let's disband for today.

Yuuki
1. Are you okay with that?

Yuni
Okay with what? Of course rewriting my thesis is going to be troublesome, but if I can just get past that, my desire for knowledge will have already been satisfied.

Yuni
...What? No, it's true. You don't have to keep giving me that look.

Yuni
Hm... It seems like you've misunderstanding something, so I'll add on a bit more.

Yuni
Mind you, that this retreat, doesn't necessarily mean I'm just giving in here. So to speak, though I've lost the match, I did win the bout.

Yuni
I'll go as far as to say this. I, in fact, feel quite good.

Yuni
Try thinking about it. The world acted against me, in other words, my scheme was an obstacle to the gods.

Yuni
If we turn that around, it's proof that I, without a doubt, drew closer to the truth.

Yuni
I mean isn't that what it means? Because I got closer to a secret I wasn't supposed to know, the world kept me in check.

Yuni
Do you understand? God went through all this trouble of writing a huge check mark on the fantasy-like hypothesis I made!

Yuuki
1. I don't get it.

Yuni
I see. Then here's a paradigm shift. I should've told you this before. My aim is the act of "knowing something" itself.

Yuni
The end goal isn't to disclose or spread it. My goal is what's just before that. If I can just know it, I'm fine with that.

Yuni
To put simply. Now that I've reached the big answer that is the world is lying to us, as I see it, I've "won" this game.

Yuni
Though I did not receive a prize, it is the firm truth that I am the victor. Now then my comrade, let us quietly have a congratulatory toast. How about we savor this happiness, as our secret from the rest of the world?

Yuni
It's fine. I'm no hero, nor am I any other sort of great person. I don't have some splendid ambition for the way the world should be, or bringing back the reality we lost.

Yuni
Starting tomorrow, I'll spend the rest of my life living in piece. It could be fun to descend from the tower and try my hand once more at the rose-colored school-life-thing I'd once longed for.

Yuni
Ordinary classes, club activities, and the after school girl's talk... I wonder if I could make my second, my third friend? Yes, yes, my dreams are expanding. I want to experience youth.

Yuni
Come to think of it, I heard they'd be introducing a scholarship system in a few days. I can't rely solely on my elders for an allowance, so maybe I'll show up for the information session...

Yuni
Thus, the game has ended. From here on, I'll stick to doing the bidding of my superiors.

Yuni
It's likely that a lenient god would, assuming I quietly forget about this all, refrain from going through the trouble of striking me with the lightning of judgement.

Yuni
Then in that case, if I accept the falsehoods that lurk within the world -- accept the obstruction of cognizance, then just like any other of the general public, I'll swallow any and all lies they give me.

Yuni
If the world is telling me that's the truth, then that's for the world to decide.

Yuni
But, in this bout. To me, it's my victory. Cheers.

Yuni smiles as she brags about her victory. While Yuuki didn't understand the complicated parts of it, if Yuni is saying she's fine with it, then he would leave it at that.

Yuni
... Sigh.

Yuni
So, well, it'll probably be fine to leave Yuuki with that.

Yuni
He's a pure one after all. If I didn't make it look like I felt good about giving up there, he'd probably come up with some rash ideas of his own.

Yuni
... And he doesn't look too good at keeping secrets, too.

Yuni
However, well, what I told him was mostly the true.

Yuni
I won't disclose the truth of the world. Being that I'm not a hero or some sort of great person, I'll happily smile deep down, just know the truth by myself.

Yuni
However, world. For even just a moment, I laid my hands on your secret.

Yuni
Though soon enough, I am likely to forget that fact, that'll forever be left behind as a tiny stain in your history books.

Yuni
In your face.