"Artoria Pendragon, the legendary 'King Arthur' of England; Zhao Yun, the 'General Who Displays Tiger Might' from the Three Kingdoms period of China; Gilgamesh, the 'King of Heroes' and protagonist of humanity's oldest epic, the *Epic of Gilgamesh*; Hassan-i Sabbah, the 'Old Man of the Mountain' from Marco Polo's *The Travels*; Alexander the Great, the 'King of Conquerors' and one of the four greatest military commanders in European history; Gilles de Rais, the infamous 'Bluebeard' and most notorious dark sorcerer in European history; and Lancelot, the 'Flower of Knights,' the most perfect knight of Arthurian legend."
"Renowned anime director Kamiyā Yuu personally wrote seven character side-story novels: 'Twilight of the Knight,' 'Bluebeard,' 'King of Conquerors,' 'A Hero's Twilight Years,' 'The Ancient King,' 'Assassin,' and 'Knight's Elegy,' totaling 2.04 million words..."
"Over two million words of side stories written solely to create the most spectacular main story! The fantasy epic 'Fate/Zero,' created by Kamiyā Yuu, launches today simultaneously as both an anime and a novel! Purchase all seven side-story novels together and receive a fifty-percent discount!"
"Seven heroes from legend and history descend upon the modern world to battle over the Holy Grail, the omnipotent wish-granting vessel!"
...
The promotional advertisement playing repeatedly on the nearby television made Kamiyā Yuu cringe internally.
Especially the deliberately deep and dramatic narration, which perfectly matched District 11's love for chūnibyō aesthetics. The serious novel introduction was paired with overly dramatic advertising slogans, creating an almost absurd contrast.
Even so, Kamiyā Yuu maintained a warm smile as he sat behind a table, signing books for readers who had come to purchase the novels.
It was a day off.
A day that should have been relaxing and enjoyable.
Yet Kamiyā Yuu felt more exhausted than he ever did during work.
Today was the release date of both the 'Fate/Zero' anime and the main novel.
As repayment for Chiyo Bookstore's tireless promotion efforts over the past period, 'Yosuganosora' Animation Studio had partnered with Chiyo Bookstore for a large-scale promotional campaign.
As a result, Kamiyā Yuu had been dragged into one of Chiyo Bookstore's flagship physical bookstores for a novel signing event.
Far more fans had arrived than he had anticipated.
This bookstore was as large as a major supermarket and could easily accommodate over a thousand people.
The store had begun advertising the event a full week ago.
Anyone who purchased either the main 'Fate/Zero' novel or the seven side-story novels today would receive the opportunity to shake Kamiyā Yuu's hand and obtain his autograph.
Leaving aside Kamiyā Yuu's current fame, the seven side-story novels alone had already become a sensation in the light novel world.
Except for the least popular titles, 'Bluebeard' and 'Assassin,' the remaining five novels occupied spots within the Top Ten monthly light novel sales rankings on Chiyo Bookstore's website.
Their popularity was undeniable.
Before the bookstore even opened at seven in the morning, readers had already packed the entrance.
Fortunately, the citizens of District 11 generally possessed good public manners.
Under the guidance of bookstore employees, they quickly formed orderly lines and entered the building.
Then came Kamiyā Yuu's ordeal.
He spent the entire morning signing books.
He spent the entire morning shaking hands.
He spent the entire morning maintaining an enthusiastic smile.
Less than two hours later, his facial muscles were already sore and stiff.
Even his right hand—accustomed to drawing key animation—ached from constant use.
"Mr. Kamiyā! I'm your loyal fan! I've watched all of 'RWBY,' 'Magical Girl Nanoha,' and 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica'! I especially love 'RWBY' and Weiss! I'll continue supporting you forever!"
An excited male fan approached the signing table carrying a mountain of novels.
The pile contained far more books than the entire 'Fate/Zero' series combined.
Two sets? No, probably three.
Kamiyā Yuu stared at the towering stack in surprise.
After standing up and shaking the fan's hand, he began signing the books while asking with a smile,
"May I know your name?"
"Yes! My name is Murata Yukimura!"
The fan wiped sweat from his forehead and answered excitedly.
"Mr. Murata, did you buy three sets?"
Kamiyā Yuu signed one book after another.
A rough estimate suggested there were at least sixty volumes in total.
The combined weight alone would be difficult for an ordinary person to carry.
Japanese novels differed from Chinese novels in several ways.
Most Japanese books used vertical text formatting similar to ancient Chinese writing, requiring readers to read from top to bottom.
As a result, fewer words fit on each page, so even novels with only a few hundred thousand words often need multiple volumes.
The fan scratched the back of his head awkwardly yet proudly.
"That's right. One set for collection, one set for evangelizing others, and one set for reading."
So that tradition appeared before 'Lucky Star' in this world...
Kamiyā Yuu found himself speechless.
After signing everything, he personally returned the books and smiled.
"Thank you for your continued support."
The idea of purchasing otaku merchandise in triplicate was something Kamiyā Yuu first encountered through the anime 'Lucky Star' in his previous world.
Using novels as an example:
One copy was for collection and was never to be opened.
One copy was for lending to others.
One copy was for personal reading.
Otherwise, if a borrowed copy never came back, there would be nothing left to read.
Meanwhile, books that were frequently read would inevitably suffer worn covers and bent corners, making them unsuitable as collector's items.
The concept of "pilgrimage tourism" had likewise been popularized by 'Lucky Star.'
This referred to anime fans visiting real-life locations that appeared in anime.
For example, the Japanese sweets shop "Homura" in 'Love Live!' was based on a real sweets shop called "Takemura."
Thanks to the anime, the shop's popularity exploded overnight.
During Kōsaka Kirino's equivalent birthday events in that world, the shop became so crowded that some fans even climbed to the second floor, where the owner lived.
The owner became furious and eventually posted a notice banning certain fans from entering.
The incident later became one of District 11's most famous jokes about overly enthusiastic anime fans.
After the male fan left, Kamiyā Yuu put down his pen and shook his aching hand.
The pain from gripping the pen for so long was becoming increasingly obvious.
He glanced at the queue.
To his despair, it looked no shorter than it had in the morning.
Unless he reached the official ending time of three o'clock, there was no chance of getting a break.
"Hello, Mr. Kamiyā."
The next fan had already arrived.
Kamiyā Yuu quickly patted his cheeks and forced his stiff smile back into place.
My respect to every service worker and idol in District 11.
Being famous isn't easy either.
When he saw the fan's face, he paused.
The young man looked familiar.
A moment later, he remembered.
This was one of Kamiyā Sora's classmates from school.
"If I remember correctly, you're Andō-kun?"
Seeing that Kamiyā Yuu remembered him, Andō Shū immediately became excited.
The frustration of waiting in line for two hours vanished instantly.
Scratching the back of his head awkwardly, he said,
"Yes. I didn't expect you to remember me, Mr. Kamiyā. Sorry for troubling you at school last time."
"It's fine. Knowing that one of Sora's classmates is my reader makes me happy."
Kamiyā Yuu smiled and accepted the novel.
Opening to the title page, he quickly sketched a simple drawing of Saber standing with her sword planted in the ground, gazing into the distance.
Andō Shū bowed deeply.
"Thank you very much!"
...
The signing event, originally scheduled to end at three o'clock, did not finally conclude until after four in the afternoon.
Even at three, the line had only shortened slightly.
The bookstore staff eventually stopped accepting additional people into the queue.
Anyone already waiting before three would still receive Kamiyā Yuu's autograph.
Besides novels, many fans brought merchandise from his other works for signing.
There were 'RWBY' posters, 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica' T-shirts, and even 'Magical Girl Nanoha' figurines.
Seeing their enthusiasm, Kamiyā Yuu found it impossible to refuse.
Once everything was finally over, a Chiyo Bookstore employee bowed respectfully.
"Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Kamiyā."
"It's my novel. You all spent the entire afternoon helping me instead."
Kamiyā Yuu stood and waved with a smile.
He reached for a bottle of green tea on the table, only to discover it was empty.
The event area was now a complete mess.
The 'Fate/Zero' promotional posters displayed that morning were worn and damaged.
Empty bottles and tissues littered the floor.
After tidying the table, Kamiyā Yuu asked the nearby staff,
"Is there anything else I can help with?"
"The rest is our responsibility. If we continue troubling you, it would be our failure."
The lead staff member bowed respectfully.
Kamiyā Yuu didn't wish to stay any longer either.
Nodding, he said,
"Thank you. I'll head back first. If anything comes up, please contact my company directly."
After saying goodbye to the other employees, Kamiyā Yuu left the bookstore.
The moment he pushed open the glass door, a wave of hot air hit him.
It was already July, and Tokyo's weather was sweltering.
Even so, the heat felt better than sitting inside under air conditioning all day.
"This weather is ridiculously hot. Too bad I don't have time to enjoy a trip to the beach as anime characters do."
He sighed internally.
Stopping by a nearby convenience store, he bought a bottle of green tea and called Shindō Tsukasa from the sound department.
"How's the voice recording progressing?"
Standing in the shade outside the convenience store, he took a sip of tea.
"What do you mean, how's it progressing? It's pretty much the same as before. But that voice actress you personally selected... Amamiya... Amamiya Kae, right? She's improved quite a bit lately. Her voice suits a character like Irisviel perfectly."
Amamiya Kae had left a deep impression on Kamiyā Yuu during the audition for Sakura Kyōko's voice actress in 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica.'
He had felt her voice was perfect for Irisviel and immediately cast her.
Kamiyā Yuu smiled.
"Amamiya Kae. Yes, she's definitely talented. How about the battle music?"
"We've already hired a large classical orchestra. Recording can begin next week."
Kamiyā Yuu considered his schedule.
"It should be fine. Call me when the recording starts."
"Yes, yes."
These days, Kamiyā Yuu rarely composed anime background music personally.
Instead, he provided requirements and let Shindō Tsukasa develop proposals.
Only if the results failed to meet expectations would he step in himself.
The two discussed dialogue revisions for a while.
After finishing his green tea, Kamiyā Yuu ended the call and dialed home.
Throwing the empty bottle into a trash bin, he asked after the call connected,
"Sora?"
"Mm."
Her calm voice came through the phone.
"I'm about to head home. Is there anything you want to eat?"
"..."
A moment of silence followed.
"We're out of ice cream in the refrigerator."
Kamiyā Sora's voice became noticeably quieter.
Kamiyā Yuu raised an eyebrow.
"I remember there were still four left last night."
"I ate them."
Her answer sounded somewhat guilty.
The flatness of her tone made it difficult for Kamiyā Yuu to know how to react.
Rubbing his forehead helplessly, he sighed.
"That many? What if you upset your stomach?"
Kamiyā Sora belonged to the type of person with almost no self-control around snacks.
Whenever Kamiyā Yuu wasn't around, she could easily finish large amounts of junk food.
Yet no matter how much high-calorie food she consumed, she remained slender and delicate.
She possessed the legendary constitution that countless food-loving girls envied.
"It's fine. Yuu will take care of me."
Her response sounded perfectly reasonable to her.
Kamiyā Yuu's mood immediately softened.
"There's really nothing I can do with you. What flavors do you want this time? But just so we're clear, no more ice cream today. Two a day maximum."
"Strawberry milk and chocolate."
"What about dinner?"
"You can decide."
Kamiyā Yuu smiled mischievously.
"Then curry rice."
"No!"
Kamiyā Sora rejected the idea immediately.
She disliked curry.
Originally an Indian dish, curry had gradually become integrated into District 11's household cuisine because it was easy to prepare.
Now it was practically a staple family meal.
Kamiyā Yuu knowingly asked,
"Didn't you say I could decide?"
"Yuu."
Her tone became heavier with dissatisfaction.
She clearly didn't appreciate being teased.
Kamiyā Yuu could easily imagine the sulking expression on her face.
Looking at the fading sunlight over the street, he laughed softly.
"All right, all right. I won't make curry. I'm hanging up now. I'll stop by the supermarket to buy groceries. If you have time, could you bring in the laundry for me?"
"Mm. I know."