“What could this mean? If it was Slice-of-Life all along, then… this reset is caused by that… but for what reason?”

What could this entail?

“But this doesn’t make any sense… if the leading genre is Slice-of-Life, didn’t that mean it had overruled any other genre?”

I tap on my head to encourage critical thinking.

“So I was right… the hierarchy isn’t that simple…”

A couple of memories come back to me.

“Is that why I kept seeing Slice-of-Life protagonists?”

Even so, there were other protagonists sucked in.

I scratch my head.

“Damn it, this is making my head hurt. I don’t understand the mechanics of the world.”

For starters, we understand that Hentai can overrule Slice-of-Life and Slice-of-Life can overrule Hentai. Let’s leave it at that, for now.

“Can I overrule the genre right now?”

Thinking upon my options, I immediately think of resorting to Hentai. Though I quickly turn that option down.

“If I keep using that, how am I supposed to know more about the mechanics of the world?”

Let’s see, I overruled with the Sci-fi genre once… what others could I try?

“Ecchi?”

I immediately look at the maids. Imagining the sorts of activations it would require, such as groping and peeking at underskirts, makes me blush and avert my gaze.

“No, no, no, even I wouldn’t resort to that.”

Music. Hm, that sounds simple enough, though what could be mechanisms for its activation?

The first thing that came to mind were instruments and I instinctively find for them firsthand, though I realize a few seconds after how idiotic of a thought it was.

I boot up my phone and go search for music on the internet.

“Now that I think of it, if I play idol music, there’s a good chance it could turn into Idol instead, huh?”

That could be interesting too.

Before I carried on, I opened one of the zippers in my bag and took out a black wireless earphone case and inside it, I took out a pair of wireless earphones of the same color.

Mindlessly scrolling, I tap on a random music video. Nothing related to idols, by chance. After it plays, I put my earphones to their corresponding ears and listen.

“Oh wow, this is actually a pretty good song. I’ll save this for later.”

Closing my eyes and vibing with the music, I feel at rest and find myself bopping to the beat. Though, my concentration is momentarily broken as I grow wary of my meal. So, I pause the music and search for my order and my assigned maid.

“Is it done yet?”

Just as I ask that question, I see ‘Nekonyan’ with a round black tray, and on top of it, lay my caramel milk tea as identified with the signature brown color and omurice with ketchup on top.

“Here you go master!” she says as she uses her right hand to bring the orders one by one.

“Ah, one more thing!” she utters as she puts down the round black tray on the unoccupied seat in front of me.

“Moe moe kyun!”

Nailing each and every single mark with a cute voice. She truly did her job well and it gives a fuzzy feeling in my heart, despite it being only for a job. After all, seeing cute girls doing cute things is a treat for any man.

Picking up the tray once more and bowing to me, she carries on to the next customer.

“Woah!”

Seeing as my appetizing meal was emitting water vapor in front of me. My gluttony got the best of me and with the fork and spoon prepared for me, I take one bite immediately.

“HAAH- HAAH- HAAH-”

HOT! HOT! HOT! IT’S SO HOT!

I blow out of my mouth to cool down the food from my mouth and even put my hand on my mouth. It’s so hot!

“Phoo- Phoo- Phoo-”

After much blowing, the meal cools down and I get to chew.

“Mmm, mm! Delicious!”

It’s actually pretty good! However, considering the price… this should be the baseline quality for the expenses…

“Next up is… the caramel milk tea!”

I take a sip and feel my throat go sore.

“Gyah! Too sweet! I’ll let some of the ice melt first.”

With the straw I mix my drink.

“Ah, I can’t forget the music.”

I set aside the food and drinks and continue the music. Closing my eyes, I get in the groove.

A few seconds into the video I try tapping on the table with my finger to truly illustrate my immersion, as well as tapping my feet.

In my mind, I utter the words to signal activation.

The Overruling Statement: Slice-of-Life to Music.

Note: Loading…

I wait for a response.

Note: Overruling Failed.

“What?!”

I’ll just try again!

Concentrating more than ever, tapping my arms and feet, making sure it aligns with the music, I close my eyes and do it one more time.

The Overruling Statement: Slice-of-Life to Music.

Note: Loading… Overruling Failed.

Am I lacking in materials? Should I brute force Hentai after all?

Then just as I think that, I hear munching and drinking near me.

Huh?

I open my eyes and see a little thief known as a certain friend from a little sister.

“This is a fine meal, onii-chan! I wonder why you’d leave it out in the cold like that,” Mieko wonders.

“I was just about to eat it. And more importantly, how did you find me here, Mieko-chan?”

“Oh, nothing really, I was just walking around the place and I happen to see your disgusting face from the window of this cafe. It just made me think that ‘Onii-chan is into such pervy things, of course, he is a NEET after all,’ is what I thought, so I simply had to come say hi.”

She says as she inconsiderably drinks more of my drink.

“For someone who mocks me a lot, you sure are shameless to be snacking off the meal of said pervy NEET. A meal and drink of which I paid not to mention!”

“Oh onii-chan! Always so stingy! Can’t you entertain a lady?”

“I’m not entertaining anyone who steals my lunch. Besides, didn’t I entertain you last time, you glutton? Also, I’ve heard girls are constantly worrying about their weight, are you sure you’re not gaining some considerable weight when you’re eating so much?”

I smirk feeling like I’d struck a nerve.

“Onii-chan, the body I have is perfect as it is! The world will simply not allow me to get fat no matter how much I eat. I am simply loved by the world!”

“So, you have that kind of body, huh… Tch.”

Fail.

Thankfully, I have another retort.

“Eating my food so carelessly… doesn’t that count as an indirect kiss?”

I form a smug expression.

She has to fall for this one.

“Oh, onii-chan, you’re much below human, I needn’t concern myself with such saliva. I can wash it down with a drink of this caramel milk tea, which now overrides yours with mine! Now there is no trace!”

“Why, you little-”

Clenching my fist, I immediately let it go and snatch my meal back and take a bite.

ズルズル  (Sipping)

Taking a break from sipping my drink, she makes a comment.

“You’re pretty lewd for taking a bite knowing there’s an indirect kiss there, onii-chan.”

“Shut up, that would apply to you too, so I don’t care.”

After gulping a bite, I talk to her.

“So how did you actually find me? I doubt you found me randomly. Did you install a GPS on me somewhere?”

“Ah, I’ve been busted, tee-hee~”

“Don’t play that off as a joke… That’s creepy…”

Hey, wait a second, I came here to do something. Not to chat with this brat.

ズルズル (Sipping)

“Don’t just casually steal my food either.”

I snatch my milk tea while she sips, and it causes her to almost spill from her mouth.

ゴクリ(Gulp)

She points at me aggressively.

“You meanie! You could have at least waited for me to finish!”

“If I waited for you to finish, you would ‘finish’ my whole drink. I have the right to take my drink.”

“This is why you have no girlfriend!”

“You have no boyfriend, so I don’t see where you’re getting at. You aren’t higher than me.”

“I swear I’ll get myself a hot boyfriend and I’ll boast them because of how hot they are.”

“I’ll get a girlfriend before you do.”

I take a good long sip.

Music isn’t overpowering Slice-of-Life.

I look in front of me.

She’s a hacker, so maybe that could override Slice-of-Life with Sci-fi instead.

“Hey, Mieko, can you do a bit of your work in front of me right now?”

“What’s this all of a sudden? That’s so random.”

“You’re probably not going to pay me back, so just do this for me instead. Or do you want me to force money out of you instead?”

“Okay, okay! Geez, onii-chan is so mean sometimes.”

She lifts a laptop from her side and opens it.

“Do you casually bring that everywhere?”

“A hacker like me has to operate wherever, whenever, so it’s essential for me to bring it at all times.”

“Huh, I guess that makes sense.”

She boots up her laptop whilst I continue eating and drinking.

“Mm, the caramel is finally not too sweet. It’s pretty delicious.”

“Are you inviting me to drink, onii-chan?! Don’t mind if I do~”

“Stop trying to take my food at every opportunity.”

“Hmph!” she pouts, “A hacker like me needs good nutrition!”

At long last, the laptop boots and began working right away.

カタカタ (Typing)

I watch intensely finding the right moment to call the change.

カタカタ (Typing)

After a good one minute, I deemed it sufficient to call forth upon the power of the Overruling Statement.

The Overruling Statement: Slice-of-Life to Sci-fi.

Note: The Overruling Statement: Slice-of-Life to Sci-fi. Process Failed.

 

Again?!

I drop my face to the table in utter failure.

I didn’t know a genre could be so stubborn like this…

“Mieko, you can stop now…” I say while my face was on the table.

“Alright, then.”

She stops right away and turns it off, then puts it back where she got it from.

“Urgh…”

“Uh, are you going to eat that?” she points to my lunch.

“Stop trying to eat my lunch, you fatty.”

“I’m not even close to being fat!”

I raise my face.

“What, you computed your BMI?”

“Once in a month or so.”

“What did it say?”

“My height is 140 cm and my weight is 45 kg. My BMI should be around… 23.0!”

“You… did you just calculate that in your head? In a second no less?!”

“Yeah. Is there a problem, onii-chan?”

Prodigal child…

I stare at her while taking a quick sip at my caramel milk tea.

Maybe I could ask her… I’m tired of brainstorming with myself.

“Hey, Mieko, talk to me,” I tell her.

“What are you saying all of a sudden, onii-chan?”

Fixing my posture and taking another bite of my meal, I continue.

“You watch anime and manga, don’t you, Mieko?”

“Quite often, yes?”

“Say, imagine a world filled with anime characters… Naturally, there are various genres across the medium, so genres shift constantly to preserve the continuum while maintaining the characters.”

“Onii-chan, you’re acting really weird today. You’re not sick, are you?”

“Just entertain me, for now.”

“’Kay…”

“If hypothetically, a character wanted to shift the genre from Slice-of-Life to something completely different, how would they do it?”

“That’s a complicated question you’re throwing me… but if it were me… You said that the genres shift to preserve continuity? Maybe I’ll try to do some things or introduce things that are specific to that genre?”

“That seemed most sensible to me. But let’s say they did that, and the genre refuses to change, what could be the reason for this?”

“I’ll chalk it up to how that world works in that scenario. It’s all too arbitrary.”

“Please! Can’t you think of a reason?”

“Hm… if it’s Slice-of-Life we’re specifically that we’re talking about, don’t we have to go and understand the nature of that genre? I don’t know, it’s all too abstract.”

Nature of the Slice-of-Life genre? What could that be?

“Slice-of-Life involves following a group of people that do whatever they do without the need for a plot.”

“Argh, I’m not cut out for wondering about hypotheticals. I mean Slice-of-Life isn’t necessarily just all the same thing, right? I wouldn’t be able to really pinpoint if the type of Slice-of-Life we’re talking about isn’t specific.”

“Ah, you’re right. My bad.”

I continue thinking in my head.

We’re a chaotic variation of the Slice-of-Life genre that does not necessarily follow a plot. So, what about the nature of our variation refuses to change? But what if the Slice-of-Life I’m undergoing is a different kind of Slice-of-Life? I couldn’t possibly know, could I?

I fall silent.

In silence, I take a bite and a sip.

“Why are you suddenly talking about this anyway?” she asks me, “Ah, don’t tell me-”

“Tell me what?”

“You’re writing a story?! Where are you posting it? In Shousetsuka ni Narou? Or are you drawing a manga?”

“I’m not-”

“Or perhaps you’re writing a fan fiction about all your favorite anime characters and series?! That would make sense! Tell me! Tell me! Where did you post it, onii-chan?!”

“I am not writing a story! Geez, I’m wasting time talking to you.”

“That’s the worst thing you could say to a lady!”

My mind fixates on my latest words.

Wasting time…

I begin mumbling to myself.

“Our version of Slice-of-Life is just the type that fools around and wastes time. The type that doesn’t care about time.”

So is the reason why time is in a standstill, or rather, looping in a month, is because…

“Of our nature to not care about time…”

Of course… of course, that’s it! We wouldn’t keep track of time! This must be the phase where we are free from time!

“A phase of doing nothing and time being ambiguous.”

“Uh, onii-chan?”

“I’ve got it!”

I look at my partner.

“Thanks for that! I get it now!”

Finishing what remained of the meal and my drink. I stand up get my wallet, and place 2 100-yen coins.

“Here, buy what you want!”

Then I keep it, stand up, and rush outside.

“Ah, wait!” she says, but I’d already gone outside.

“We didn’t even get to talk about ourselves…”

END OF EPISODE 53