Secret Date

M-Master!!!

Ethan! S-Save me...!

A-At this rate, I'm gonna die...! M-My head's turning into a total jumbled mess...!

W-What is it all of a sudden?! You nearly scared me to death!

And since when did I become your master? I've never had a disciple like you.

T-Then just once...! Just for today, be my master!

I-I need help... O-Or I'm really gonna die...

I have absolutely no idea what kind of situation this is. Did you read some weird manga again?

N-No... it's the opposite...!

I-I need mangas. But there aren't any here... and I can't even go back to Earth for a while...

No novels... no games... no anime, no merch either!

I-It's like tossing a goldfish into the desert... I-I'm gonna dry up and die at this rate...

Ah... do you think they have mangas in heaven...?!

Then let's die...! I-If possible, you too, Master...!

No thanks?! And what kind of heaven would even have mangas in it?!

Ugh... y-you're right, Master. A bad dragon like me... yeah, I'd probably go straight to hell...

T-There'd be no way a place like hell would have mangas... N-No-! I-I'd definitely end up somewhere full of nosy social butterflies...

...So why did you come to me?

Obviously, I don't have any mangas either. And of course I don't have novels, games, anime, or merch.

Still, I get missing that stuff. I kinda wish I'd brought more things with me when I came from Earth.

I-I knew it, Master feels the same way too...! Like a goldfish drying out... so bad that falling into hell might actually be better!

It's not that bad.

So what exactly do you want from me? And why are you suddenly calling me your master in the first place?

S-Since there aren't any mangas... I-I was gonna draw one... myself!

Uh... what?

T-There aren't any mangas here...! So...

S-So I tried drawing one myself...! But...

Oh! You drew a manga yourself? For the first time, I actually have a reason to praise you.

Then I can guess why you're calling me your master. You tried it yourself and realized it was harder than you thought, right?

Hmm... but I've never actually drawn mangas before.

B-But you used to make games, right? So you know a lot about, um... manga and animation and stuff...

So... could you take a look? At the one I drew...

Now that's an offer I can't refuse. I happen to be starving for this stuff myself.

Besides, you've got the guts to show it to someone right away. That's admirable.

All right, hand it over! Your master shall deliver a brutally honest review!

J-Just not too brutal... only enough that I won't cry...

Ohh...

Hmm...?

Uuuugh... I-I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm so embarrassed I could die like this...!

First, the praise.

O-Ohhh-!

For a first attempt, the art quality is unbelievably good.

The paneling is solid, the dialogue has flair, and the characters are charming.

O-Ohhhhhhhhh...!

However.

Uh... uwaaaaaah...!

I-I don't want to hear it! Never mind, forget it! I-I knew it... someone like me could never draw mangas...!

Y-Yeah... let's burn it. I-I can't let something that hideous remain in this world...

H-Hey, hey, hey! Calm down-! I'm not finished yet.

You've got plenty of talent. What you're lacking is experience.

E-Experience...? E-Experience?

...!!! D-Don't tell me...! H-How do you know I don't have that kind of experience?!

Cut out the weird fantasies. That's not what I meant.

First, page 3, second panel. This is the opening scene from episode 32 of 「One Love Accident」, isn't it?

Eeeeek...!!!

And page 11, fifth panel.

This one is that scene from the epilogue of part 1 of One Love Accident: Brightness.

H-How... how do you know all of that...?!

N-No, of course... you're my master...

Yeah, that's right... a plagiarist like me deserves to die... t-there must be a special hell just for me...

G-Goodbye, world... th-thanks for putting up with someone like me all this time...

I told you to stop with the weird fantasies, didn't I? This is where the real point starts.

All creative work starts with imitation. And for most creators, even that imitation is a struggle.

But you pulled that off perfectly. That's talent straight from the heavens.

In other words, all you need now is more experience.

You need to build your own insight, and let your own perspective and interpretation mature.

...

...T-To be honest, I knew it too. What I'm lacking... th-the real problem is that I never go outside...

E-Even when I try to think up different scenes... it's h-hard... no, i-it's impossible!

S-So I thought of a way... a way to fix it...!

Hm? What way?

M-My weakest point... ...imagining all kinds of situations with a romantic-comedy heroine...

W-What if I recreated them in real life?

Uh... what?

I-I know it sounds weird! But...

I-If we cast other girls as the "heroine," and recreate the scenes I need...

A-And if I could see all sorts of lovely, comedic... ...a-and erotic scenes with my own two eyes...?!

W-Wouldn't that give me my own perspective...?? Or... m-my own interpretation, like you said?!

...

...

...Good grief, that's an absolutely ridiculous idea.

Uuuugh... I knew it-! I knew someone like me...!

Let's do it right now.

Ehk-?!

This master is moved by his disciple's burning creative spirit.

There are no mangas or anime here? That's just an excuse. When you're thirsty, you dig a well.

Besides, the manga you want to draw is one of those romantic comedies, right? That's absolutely worth risking your life for.

Uh... i-is it really that serious?

As it happens, this master has just had a flash of inspiration.

Follow me. I'll show you what a former game developer and professional animation enthusiast can really do.

Who's there...?!

You dare tail me in broad daylight? Are you with the Church of Tiamat?

M-Master...! Who is that...?!

I-I can feel it...! There's no slice of toast in her mouth, and she's not wearing a school uniform, but...!

Heh, that's my disciple. A true romantic-comedy heroine is the kind whose whole situation comes to mind the moment you see her face.

Mm... s-so we're really doing this...!

She's already spotted us and is running over, but with this alley and this angle, it'll work.

Good, we'll wait for her to come this way, and then...

...right as she turns the corner, I'll jump out...!

Y-You?! So you're the one who was tailing m... eep-!

...

...

...Th-The heroine tripped all by herself. Before she even crashed into the protagonist...

I've never seen a development like this before... Yeah, maybe this is educational too.

No way it is! This isn't a "romantic" comedy, it's just comedy!

Hey, Tristan. Get up. I need to ask you something important.

E-Ethan?! What do you mean, all of a sudden, you need a favor?

And who is that...?

Um... my name is Ka-Kyari, Kyara... aughblgh-! Karishara! That's what it is...

I-I'm just Ethan's lowly disciple... eheh...

I don't understand this situation at all.

First of all, why were you tailing me? And what's this favor supposed to be?

Heh heh heh... well, you see...

What's important here is natural physical contact. And the raw reaction of a tsunde... no, a prickly heroine.

R-Right... both of them have to feel natural!

What's even more important is capturing that subtle feeling somewhere between disgust and affection.

Well? Got it?

No. Not at all.

Ghk... do I really have to start with the basics for a complete amateur?

M-Maybe we should show her a similar scene from a manga?!

The ones who need educating are you two! You show up for the first time in ages and this is the favor you ask?

As if I'd ever do something that ridiculou... eep-!

S-Sorry! I tripped on something...

...!!!

Y-You... where exactly are you touching me right now?

No, this is... you crashed into me, so...

...No, this is it! This is exactly it!

Are you watching, Karishara-?! This perfect "heroine who bumps into the protagonist and falls over on the way to school"?!

Y-Yeah... Master! I'm watching! It's way more vivid than anything I've seen in mangas or anime!

Ahh... so this is what naturalness feels like.

The expressions, the emotions, the dialogue... it's all coming through completely raw...!

Don't take notes! Just feel it as it is!

Savor the shame and confusion the heroine must be feeling right now... and the anticipation buried deep inside her heart!

Y-Yeah... I get it now, Master! I finally understand what I was missing!

Um... what if the two of them try to get up, and then another accident happens...?

Th-This time, the protagonist tries to stand up... and a-accidentally falls onto the heroine...!

Ohh, I can already see the potential for the student to surpass the master.

You heard her, Tristan. If I fall over while getting up like this...

...

...You perverts-!! Die! Die a hundred times, a thousand times, ten thousand times!

Ethan? What bringeth you all the way here so suddenly?

Well, what do you think, Karishara?

She is exactly the kind of talent I told you about for a "pure-lady heroine," right?

...Pardon? Ah... yes.

And who might that other young lady over in the corner be...? (...Could it be another big-breasted sow has joined us?)

......

...No-!

Huh? What's not?

That dignified bearing. The elegant way she speaks, and that pure, ladylike look.

She is exactly your ideal heroine, isn't she?

E-Ethan? If you say such things so suddenly, I will be embarrassed.

B-But... But, but, but!

Th-That girl... you can see right up her skirt! She's like some "actually-inexperienced perv... social-butterfly heroine"...!

Pray tell, what does that mean all of a sudden? (What is this strange creature? Another rival after all? Shall I kill her?)

Ah, that part?

A pure-type heroine must be pure in body and soul! Like dew at misty dawn! Like spring water deep in the mountains untouched by human hands! Only when every twisted desire is covered over and hidden away beneath the supreme virtue called purity can true fantasy bloom...!

You can actually speak pretty clearly when you want to.

Hm, everyone can have a different philosophy about purity. And what matters most is the creator's heart.

I-I knew it... Master really does understand... Okay, then the next part should be easy.

F-First, let's change her clothes. Into something that suits a "pure-lady heroine"...!

Ethan...? What exactly is going on here? (Do I look like a fool just because I'm smiling?)

As for these clothes, I wear them because I like them. Depending on one's point of view, they may seem a touch excessive, but-

What about a classic noble-lady dress? Something in a style that would go well with a hand-held fan.

N-No... Master! That is already too revealing.

Yeah... ordinary everyday clothes with less skin showing would be better after all.

B-But... to convey that she'd be amazing once you take it off.......

.......

...A white blouse with a cape. And a lace skirt that comes to just above the knees.

....!!! Th-That's it! That feeling where she acts pure on the outside, but you just know something incredible might be hidden underneath...!

Th-Then... I guess the situation should also be.......

It would be best if the protagonist accidentally stumbled across the heroine while she was changing.

It would be the most natural moment, and the most devastating one at the same time. It would also be the twist that completes the character.

G-Good... perfect! This is exactly the "pure-lady heroine" I have always dreamed of!

Everyone? If you must discuss such things, at least do so out of the subject's earshot. (It is called common sense. Common sense.)

Ah, come to think of it, I introduced you too late. It's been a while, Galahad.

This is Karishara. A lot happened, but she ended up becoming my disciple.

H-Hello... n-nice to meet you.......

Um... excuse me, but c-could I hold your hand just once...?!

I want to take in as much as I can... the warmth... the feel of it...!

....... (What the hell is this freak talking about?)

I understand now. What sort of commotion Ethan has gotten caught up in yet again. (And here I thought I was happy to see Ethan again after so long.)

Of course, with my broad heart and immeasurable mercy, I can overlook most rudeness. (But this sow that rolled in from who knows where...)

But this lady... seems to have crossed the line a little, has she not? (And to flaunt herself right in front of me…??)

.......

...Eh?

M-Master! Something's wrong. I think I just heard the inner thoughts of my pure-type heroine...!

S-Something about this is dangerous!

Can't be helped. Creation always comes with pain.

...Run, Karishara!

E... Eeeeeeh-?!?!

Now the next one is the last.

It is a bit iffy to call her a heroine, but this is where we need the kind of character no romantic comedy can do without.

Indispensable...? Who?

The "little-sister heroine who wakes you up every morning."

She is not exactly a true heroine, but just having her around is soothing. A kind of oil-in-the-gears character.

...R-Right! F-Family love still counts as a kind of love too...!

But... a little sister? Is there really someone like that around you, Master...?

Someone who's cute enough, mean enough, and also clicks perfectly with the protagonist.

There is exactly one. And she is right beside me.

......???

.......!!!!!

N-No, Master! N-Not that person... no, not that fairy... I just can't...!

Yeah, I get how you feel, Karishara.

I'm sure you're scared. I don't like digging up your trauma either.

But even if she is a thug who has bullied you nonstop, we do not have any other choice this time.

You know it too, right? As creators, there are moments when we cannot compromise.

Ugh... ugh......!

...R-Right. Creation is pain. Pain is creation.......

I have to endure it... right...? If it is for the sake of finding my very own heroine...!

Good. That's the disciple I acknowledged.

Then let us start by figuring out the situation.

I-Is it the one where she wakes up in the morning and finds herself on top of the protagonist...?

A classic. But it does not suit this heroine.

The words that define Morgana are meanness and arrogance. It would not change no matter who she was dealing with.

Hmm... then.......

Sh-she tries to wake the protagonist by pulling away the blanket, and they end up… getting a little too close by accident…?

Ho? Then what is the key scene?

Th-They struggle under the blanket and get all tangled up... right! Then they end up wrapped in the blanket and hugging each other...!

A-And then if a third party catches them... it is complete!

Not bad. Sometimes you need an outright setup like that.

I-It would be a funny scene... so instead of a subtle mood, it would be better to lean into a loud, chaotic feel.......

If the little sister just kills Ethan as is, that would settle everything. Yes, a perfect ending.

N-No...! Family should love each other as family and nothing more... AHH!

...Well, this is an unexpected turn of events.

I heard you two were going around causing trouble as a pair, so I came to see for myself.

...And it turns out you were doing something even trashier and more pathetic than I expected.

So, if we are saying I am the heroine this time, what was the manga genre again?

L-Love... comedy.......

And what exactly is that?

Ah, whatever. I have a genre I like well enough already.

This time, a tragic heroic epic would be nice. And every hero is meant to fall miserably from the very beginning.

...Karishara.

Hiiiiiieek-!

...Run-!

I-It was terrifying... If she had caught us, we would have died... or ended up going through something excruciatingly painful...!

Heh heh heh, but it was meaningful time, wasn't it? Inspiration is what matters in creation.

Y-Yeah... definitely.

It felt different from when I just look at other people's work... I had so many different thoughts.

I-I think I can make it now... my very own manga! My very own heroine...!

Haha, I'm already looking forward to it. What kind of masterpiece will be born in a world without manga or anime?

.......

Um, Master. I still need one more piece of inspiration.......

Hm? What is it?

Th-The most important... the title heroine.......

M-My manga's female lead... I need inspiration for her...!

Oho, that is the most important part indeed.

So what kind of character is that heroine?

Mm... well, it is a little embarrassing.......

Th-That heroine is very timid. She hates getting hurt... and she hates fighting even more.

Sh-She hates being wounded... so she avoids people... and in the end, she even forgets how to deal with them.......

.......

B-But then she happens to meet the protagonist... and little by little, just little by little, she steps out into the world.

You see, that heroine... she actually really loves being praised. So... yeah, today too.......

...Eh-?!

This master is moved. To think you'd already put my teachings to practical use.

...E-Eeeeeeh...?!

I know you were scared. Of dealing with other people, and of asking anything of them.

But in the end, the first time is the hardest. The second time gets easier. By the third, it becomes everyday life.

Next time, try making an even bolder request, and do it with more confidence.

This master... and the others too... will definitely treat you seriously.

Eeeh, eeh.......

Ehehe... heheh.......

Uh, Karishara? Are you okay? Your breathing has been kind of strange for a while now.

M-Master... this is your fault! You said it was an unreasonable request... so I was forcing myself to endure it.......

In a s-situation like this... if you say things like that... there is no way I can hold back... right...?

C-Calm down! Everything I'm saying is strictly from a creator's point of view...!

D-Did you forget? My manga is going to include that kind of content too.......

Y-You have to teach your disciple more, right? Yes, you have to take responsibility.......

From the very start... this was all your fault, Master!

Aaaaaaaaagh-!!