- 40
- 10
So, we have "Author" character who can observe and decide an event, they speak directly/only to protagonist not participate in person, probably incorporal?
what likely tier for author?
Causality(?), Reality warping, Summoning(?), Creation, Law Manipulation(?)
[You see, there are two types of entrance ceremony attacks. Monster appearances and evil organization attacks!]
“Hold on a moment, Author. Let’s have an in-depth discussion.”
[But I figured having an evil organization attack right at the start would be too soon, so I decided to have a monster appear!]
Cold sweat dripped down.
This is bad.
“Um, when exactly is this monster supposed to appear…?”
[For impact, after the principal’s speech ends and the applause dies down, the ceiling will break open!]
Oh, come on.
Can’t we just have a normal start for once?
The novel only started yesterday!
Not understanding at all, I protested to the Author.
“You’re saying a monster can just appear in the city? Say something that makes sense.”
[Oh right, in the city…Hmm, then the monster that was illegally raised by a corporation subcontracted by an evil organization accidentally escaped!]
“Hold on a moment, Author. Let’s have an in-depth discussion.”
[But I figured having an evil organization attack right at the start would be too soon, so I decided to have a monster appear!]
Cold sweat dripped down.
This is bad.
“Um, when exactly is this monster supposed to appear…?”
[For impact, after the principal’s speech ends and the applause dies down, the ceiling will break open!]
Oh, come on.
Can’t we just have a normal start for once?
The novel only started yesterday!
Not understanding at all, I protested to the Author.
“You’re saying a monster can just appear in the city? Say something that makes sense.”
[Oh right, in the city…Hmm, then the monster that was illegally raised by a corporation subcontracted by an evil organization accidentally escaped!]
“But Author, it’s already happened. You can’t turn back time…”
[Since it’s already happened, I have no choice! I’m going to launch another attack!]
“Huh?”
[Let’s see. After realizing that their wife had died, the other monster that escaped from the illegal breeding facility cried sadly.]
“No, wait a minute, Author.”
[Enveloped in a desire for revenge, the male monster rushed towards the humans who killed her!]
[Since it’s already happened, I have no choice! I’m going to launch another attack!]
“Huh?”
[Let’s see. After realizing that their wife had died, the other monster that escaped from the illegal breeding facility cried sadly.]
“No, wait a minute, Author.”
[Enveloped in a desire for revenge, the male monster rushed towards the humans who killed her!]
“Author, give me some money.”
[Ehh, again…?]
“Of course. I’m a student, you know? A student. Plus, you’re the one who gave me this ability.”
[Ugh, I feel kind of defeated. I don’t have much money, so why do you spend so freely, Reader?]
[Ehh, again…?]
“Of course. I’m a student, you know? A student. Plus, you’re the one who gave me this ability.”
[Ugh, I feel kind of defeated. I don’t have much money, so why do you spend so freely, Reader?]
“I’m Claire, and I’ll be your homeroom teacher from now on. Pleased to meet you.”
“C-Claire? Don’t tell me…”
“The famous hero…?”
“I heard she retired, but I guess she became a teacher.”
[Umm… Like other academy novels, I set up a famous and strong person as the homeroom teacher, but why would such a person be a mere teacher at the academy…?]
“Isn’t that an obvious thing to ask?”
There are a few to pick from.
Either she suffered a plot-convenient injury that made prolonged fighting difficult but allowed short bursts.
Or she saw a subordinate or colleague die and became disheartened.
We can just go with something along those lines.
[As expected of you, Reader! Should I start calling you the Settings Basket? Thank you! Hehe, a homeroom teacher who’s an aloof beauty type with a hint of world-weariness is a delicious setting no matter how often I see it!]
“C-Claire? Don’t tell me…”
“The famous hero…?”
“I heard she retired, but I guess she became a teacher.”
[Umm… Like other academy novels, I set up a famous and strong person as the homeroom teacher, but why would such a person be a mere teacher at the academy…?]
“Isn’t that an obvious thing to ask?”
There are a few to pick from.
Either she suffered a plot-convenient injury that made prolonged fighting difficult but allowed short bursts.
Or she saw a subordinate or colleague die and became disheartened.
We can just go with something along those lines.
[As expected of you, Reader! Should I start calling you the Settings Basket? Thank you! Hehe, a homeroom teacher who’s an aloof beauty type with a hint of world-weariness is a delicious setting no matter how often I see it!]
[Finally, it’s starting! Wow!]
“First, let’s start in the determined order.”
I looked at the paper in my hand.
It said 10–the last pair.
[Hehe, as expected, the protagonist appears last! Is that okay?]
“It’s fine.”
The duel order was determined by drawing lots, but it didn’t matter to the Author and me.
Probability doesn’t apply to us.
If the Author wants, we can do anything as long as it’s plausible.
Delaying the protagonist’s appearance to the end is nothing.
“First, let’s start in the determined order.”
I looked at the paper in my hand.
It said 10–the last pair.
[Hehe, as expected, the protagonist appears last! Is that okay?]
“It’s fine.”
The duel order was determined by drawing lots, but it didn’t matter to the Author and me.
Probability doesn’t apply to us.
If the Author wants, we can do anything as long as it’s plausible.
Delaying the protagonist’s appearance to the end is nothing.
“So, Author. What do you have planned for today?”
[Umm… We’ve already done weapon selection and duels, so I wanted to do a mana measurement today!]
“Mana measurement? But isn’t that something usually done at the entrance ceremony…?”
Yeah, that’s right.
Mana measurements and special trait confirmations are usually done at the very beginning, at the entrance ceremony.
They put their hand on the crystal and go, “Woooah! This guy has an incredible amount of mana! He’s a promising student!”
Or “Woooah, an S-rank trait! Amazing!”
We’ve done things out of order.
Now that I think about it, we did the duels before measuring it.
[Ehehe… Well! The plan was to do it at the entrance ceremony, but the device was broken during the monster attack, and the replacement just arrived now.]
[Umm… We’ve already done weapon selection and duels, so I wanted to do a mana measurement today!]
“Mana measurement? But isn’t that something usually done at the entrance ceremony…?”
Yeah, that’s right.
Mana measurements and special trait confirmations are usually done at the very beginning, at the entrance ceremony.
They put their hand on the crystal and go, “Woooah! This guy has an incredible amount of mana! He’s a promising student!”
Or “Woooah, an S-rank trait! Amazing!”
We’ve done things out of order.
Now that I think about it, we did the duels before measuring it.
[Ehehe… Well! The plan was to do it at the entrance ceremony, but the device was broken during the monster attack, and the replacement just arrived now.]
“Author, are there dungeons?”
[Are there dungeons?]
The Author’s voice was full of doubt.
Since she didn’t understand what I was saying, I decided to explain further.
“No, come to think of it, dungeons…They’re only in hunter-type novels, right? With the gates opening and all that.”
[Ah…?]
“But here we have monsters, heroes, and villains, right? It’s a bit different from hunters, so dungeons are a bit… Let me think of something else.”
There’s no helping it.
Dungeons are a tasty setting, but we can’t use them if they don’t fit the world.
It’s a really tasty setting, but I have to discard it…
[No!]
“…Huh?”
[I don’t want to! I want to see a dungeon! I’m definitely going to write it!]
“But the setting doesn’t even fit the world…”
[You can just fit the world around it!]
Fit the world around it?
Right now?
…How?
[Hmm…I have an idea–no…That’s right! Hundreds of years ago, a gate opened, and the Hunter Era began!]
“…Huh?”
[So, this is already a hunter world, but the gate incident ended long ago! And it’s set in the world long after that!]
“What’s that supposed to…”
[The gate opened, mana was created, and those with special abilities manifested their mana quickly. Humans evolved to match mana, so they each gain one ability when they awaken. And…]
The Author suddenly started pulling out all sorts of settings one after another.
A gate incident 500 years ago, the originally non-existent special abilities, the dungeons left untouched until now.
[Dungeons are where you find byproducts that weren’t destroyed. Like mining minerals from mines, you extract byproducts from monsters in dungeons! …Ah, I’ll decide where they live, too! The former human territories lost in the gate incident 500 years ago became monster territory! The reason they’re fighting humans is, of course, to reclaim their territory!]
They’re talking without even taking a breath.
Just how badly did they want to see it?
There don’t seem to be any settings that contradict it, which only annoys me.
The Author can do it well, huh?
I guess they got serious because something they wanted came up.
They should work hard like this all the time.
“Haa, I can’t help it. Alright.”
[…! You mean!]
“Let’s do the dungeon practice.”
[Yay!]
[Are there dungeons?]
The Author’s voice was full of doubt.
Since she didn’t understand what I was saying, I decided to explain further.
“No, come to think of it, dungeons…They’re only in hunter-type novels, right? With the gates opening and all that.”
[Ah…?]
“But here we have monsters, heroes, and villains, right? It’s a bit different from hunters, so dungeons are a bit… Let me think of something else.”
There’s no helping it.
Dungeons are a tasty setting, but we can’t use them if they don’t fit the world.
It’s a really tasty setting, but I have to discard it…
[No!]
“…Huh?”
[I don’t want to! I want to see a dungeon! I’m definitely going to write it!]
“But the setting doesn’t even fit the world…”
[You can just fit the world around it!]
Fit the world around it?
Right now?
…How?
[Hmm…I have an idea–no…That’s right! Hundreds of years ago, a gate opened, and the Hunter Era began!]
“…Huh?”
[So, this is already a hunter world, but the gate incident ended long ago! And it’s set in the world long after that!]
“What’s that supposed to…”
[The gate opened, mana was created, and those with special abilities manifested their mana quickly. Humans evolved to match mana, so they each gain one ability when they awaken. And…]
The Author suddenly started pulling out all sorts of settings one after another.
A gate incident 500 years ago, the originally non-existent special abilities, the dungeons left untouched until now.
[Dungeons are where you find byproducts that weren’t destroyed. Like mining minerals from mines, you extract byproducts from monsters in dungeons! …Ah, I’ll decide where they live, too! The former human territories lost in the gate incident 500 years ago became monster territory! The reason they’re fighting humans is, of course, to reclaim their territory!]
They’re talking without even taking a breath.
Just how badly did they want to see it?
There don’t seem to be any settings that contradict it, which only annoys me.
The Author can do it well, huh?
I guess they got serious because something they wanted came up.
They should work hard like this all the time.
“Haa, I can’t help it. Alright.”
[…! You mean!]
“Let’s do the dungeon practice.”
[Yay!]
Moral, Mind manipulation
“Then should we add a bit of plausibility? It’s not that difficult.”
[Huh? How? Where can one find a way to penetrate the academy’s security?]
“She wasn’t a villain when she enrolled, she became one after enrolling.”
“She witnesses the amazing talents of her fellow enrollees and feels envious. By chance, she’s contacted by an evil organization asking, ‘Do you desire power…?’ And just like that, she defects. How’s that?”
[Wow, amazing! Incredible!]
“The academy’s security is certainly excellent, but gaps will always appear if an insider betrays them. Cliché but fun, right?”
[I knew I wasn’t mistaken! You’re a god among readers!]
I’m not the god; you are.
…Well, being praised like this didn’t feel bad.
[Okay, the setup is done! A student jealous of others’ talent who eventually defects to villainy out of envy! Delicious!]
Looking at the student after the Author’s words, I could sense something had changed about her.
The way she swung her sword, reminiscent of the other students, now seemed rushed and tainted by malice.
Even I, who knows nothing about swords, could sense that much–of course, the teacher noticed, too.
The teacher, who had been watching the other students while eyeing her, stopped her.
[Huh? How? Where can one find a way to penetrate the academy’s security?]
“She wasn’t a villain when she enrolled, she became one after enrolling.”
“She witnesses the amazing talents of her fellow enrollees and feels envious. By chance, she’s contacted by an evil organization asking, ‘Do you desire power…?’ And just like that, she defects. How’s that?”
[Wow, amazing! Incredible!]
“The academy’s security is certainly excellent, but gaps will always appear if an insider betrays them. Cliché but fun, right?”
[I knew I wasn’t mistaken! You’re a god among readers!]
I’m not the god; you are.
…Well, being praised like this didn’t feel bad.
[Okay, the setup is done! A student jealous of others’ talent who eventually defects to villainy out of envy! Delicious!]
Looking at the student after the Author’s words, I could sense something had changed about her.
The way she swung her sword, reminiscent of the other students, now seemed rushed and tainted by malice.
Even I, who knows nothing about swords, could sense that much–of course, the teacher noticed, too.
The teacher, who had been watching the other students while eyeing her, stopped her.
“Author.”
[Yes?]
“Did Amelia not have any friends?”
[I don’t know. Her backstory hasn’t been settled yet.]
“…Huh?”
[Amelia’s past is currently unobserved.]
“So her past is basically blank…”
[Exactly. I’m just putting an empty box I can fill however I want.]
[So, should we say Amelia was a social outcast?]
“No, let’s say she had several friends but never any she was truly close with and wanted to make a real friend someday.”
[Got it, understood~]
Ah, wait a minute.
Without realizing it, I ended up expressing my desire to become close friends with Amelia.
Sorry, Amelia…!
Second, because of me, Amelia will have many shallow friendships but no truly close friends she can open up to.
[Yes?]
“Did Amelia not have any friends?”
[I don’t know. Her backstory hasn’t been settled yet.]
“…Huh?”
[Amelia’s past is currently unobserved.]
“So her past is basically blank…”
[Exactly. I’m just putting an empty box I can fill however I want.]
[So, should we say Amelia was a social outcast?]
“No, let’s say she had several friends but never any she was truly close with and wanted to make a real friend someday.”
[Got it, understood~]
Ah, wait a minute.
Without realizing it, I ended up expressing my desire to become close friends with Amelia.
Sorry, Amelia…!
Second, because of me, Amelia will have many shallow friendships but no truly close friends she can open up to.
Energy manipulation(?)
You were saying the academy was competent earlier. This is a setting contradiction.
[M-Mana! We’ll say it’s because of mana! Um… Ability users have mana circulating in their bodies, increasing their physical abilities! So they don’t die easily! If they don’t use their abilities, they can conserve mana!]
sigh…
[And if you’re going to argue about that, what about guns?! People die if shot by guns! So ability users also don’t die easily to firearms, as a setting! Wow! Perfect! And guns don’t contain mana! I just decided that!]
Honestly, it’s not a completely convincing setting.
But having read countless web novels, I couldn’t be too mad.
Instead of ‘In this world, why use weapons when you have abilities?’
I realized I should accept that ‘In this world, they use both abilities and weapons.’
The only problem is that this is now the world I’m living in.
“Alright, follow me. You need to choose your weapons from the warehouse.”
Come to think of it, this is one of those academy novels where you select weapons, right?
Instead of being divided into Class A, B, and C, the classes are divided based on what weapon you chose, right?
Don’t tell me the Author failed to notice and set it up.
I waited with bated breath for a sliver of hope but didn’t hear anything.
Which means they didn’t notice. Damn it.
“Author, in the novels with weapon selection, the classes are assigned after choosing weapons.”
[Ah, really?! Was it like that?!]
“Probably most of them, I’d say?”
[M-Mana! We’ll say it’s because of mana! Um… Ability users have mana circulating in their bodies, increasing their physical abilities! So they don’t die easily! If they don’t use their abilities, they can conserve mana!]
sigh…
[And if you’re going to argue about that, what about guns?! People die if shot by guns! So ability users also don’t die easily to firearms, as a setting! Wow! Perfect! And guns don’t contain mana! I just decided that!]
Honestly, it’s not a completely convincing setting.
But having read countless web novels, I couldn’t be too mad.
Instead of ‘In this world, why use weapons when you have abilities?’
I realized I should accept that ‘In this world, they use both abilities and weapons.’
The only problem is that this is now the world I’m living in.
“Alright, follow me. You need to choose your weapons from the warehouse.”
Come to think of it, this is one of those academy novels where you select weapons, right?
Instead of being divided into Class A, B, and C, the classes are divided based on what weapon you chose, right?
Don’t tell me the Author failed to notice and set it up.
I waited with bated breath for a sliver of hope but didn’t hear anything.
Which means they didn’t notice. Damn it.
“Author, in the novels with weapon selection, the classes are assigned after choosing weapons.”
[Ah, really?! Was it like that?!]
“Probably most of them, I’d say?”
Information manipulation type 1?
[It’s starting, it’s starting! I’m so excited!]
“Kyaaaaaaah?!”
“A, a monster! Level 3!”
“A level 3 monster at the school…!”
“Everyone evacuate, quickly!”
“…Level 3?”
[Uh, I thought it was good foreshadowing…Like later, I can put another character saying, ‘Did he really take care of that monster?’]
You really are peculiarly detail-oriented in the strangest places.
I suppressed the urge to make that sarcastic remark. The level system was hastily made. How strong could a level 3 be?
It’s probably some ad-hoc ranking system used by people in the field.
Still, suppose this threat was brought up to show the difference between an ordinary student and the main character. In that case, it surely can’t be an easy opponent at this stage…Oof.
“Kyaaaaaaah?!”
“A, a monster! Level 3!”
“A level 3 monster at the school…!”
“Everyone evacuate, quickly!”
“…Level 3?”
[Uh, I thought it was good foreshadowing…Like later, I can put another character saying, ‘Did he really take care of that monster?’]
You really are peculiarly detail-oriented in the strangest places.
I suppressed the urge to make that sarcastic remark. The level system was hastily made. How strong could a level 3 be?
It’s probably some ad-hoc ranking system used by people in the field.
Still, suppose this threat was brought up to show the difference between an ordinary student and the main character. In that case, it surely can’t be an easy opponent at this stage…Oof.
Technology manipulation
“Student, your name isn’t on the new student roster…”
“Huh? That can’t be…”
It can’t be, right?
I’m clearly the new academy student, as declared by the Author.
If I’m not an academy student, then who is?
“…Author?”
[Ah, oops. I made a mistake…! Just a moment! I didn’t set that up!]
Ah.
I let out a small sigh.
I thought they wouldn’t create any issues, but they left out important details instead.
[Arte Iris, first-year academy student. …There, it’s done! Your name should show up on the roster now!]
“Huh? That can’t be…”
It can’t be, right?
I’m clearly the new academy student, as declared by the Author.
If I’m not an academy student, then who is?
“…Author?”
[Ah, oops. I made a mistake…! Just a moment! I didn’t set that up!]
Ah.
I let out a small sigh.
I thought they wouldn’t create any issues, but they left out important details instead.
[Arte Iris, first-year academy student. …There, it’s done! Your name should show up on the roster now!]
Power bestowal
“Of course. I’m a student, you know? A student. Plus, you’re the one who gave me this ability.”
[Ugh, I feel kind of defeated. I don’t have much money, so why do you spend so freely, Reader?]
Well, who told them to give me this ability?
You know, the money that gets drained each time I use the ability is quite a lot.
When I asked if I could just carry around a ball of yarn instead, you refused, saying it was not stylish.
Is exposing myself when I unleash my full ability stylish? Jeez.
When I was little, I thought that if I got a superpower, I could use it freely.
But here I am saying, ‘An ability with a penalty is stylish!’
Penalties will be penalties, though.
We’ve discussed this issue many times, but the conclusion has always been the same.
The Author seemed to have no intention of giving me a different ability.
[Ugh, I feel kind of defeated. I don’t have much money, so why do you spend so freely, Reader?]
Well, who told them to give me this ability?
You know, the money that gets drained each time I use the ability is quite a lot.
When I asked if I could just carry around a ball of yarn instead, you refused, saying it was not stylish.
Is exposing myself when I unleash my full ability stylish? Jeez.
When I was little, I thought that if I got a superpower, I could use it freely.
But here I am saying, ‘An ability with a penalty is stylish!’
Penalties will be penalties, though.
We’ve discussed this issue many times, but the conclusion has always been the same.
The Author seemed to have no intention of giving me a different ability.
“…My body doesn’t hurt anymore.”
“It’s good for the body to be in pain, just like vaccines that initially cause pain to prevent illness but ultimately make the body stronger.”
“Like a vaccine…”
She clenched his fist.
Kwaaak.
It felt completely different from her sword swings earlier today.
An immense force came with the sensation of the bandages on her hand snapping.
“…This is power.”
“Yes. Our power.”
“It’s good for the body to be in pain, just like vaccines that initially cause pain to prevent illness but ultimately make the body stronger.”
“Like a vaccine…”
She clenched his fist.
Kwaaak.
It felt completely different from her sword swings earlier today.
An immense force came with the sensation of the bandages on her hand snapping.
“…This is power.”
“Yes. Our power.”
Perception and Sound manipulation
“I’ll buy a mask and hood.”
[Should I add a voice modulation feature to the mask and a face recognition prevention enchantment to the hood?]
“…Is that even possible?”
[Nothing is impossible.]
“Please do that then.”
How should I put it?
It felt like playing an RPG game with infinite money and items.
The Author is truly the best cheat.
[Should I add a voice modulation feature to the mask and a face recognition prevention enchantment to the hood?]
“…Is that even possible?”
[Nothing is impossible.]
“Please do that then.”
How should I put it?
It felt like playing an RPG game with infinite money and items.
The Author is truly the best cheat.
