When My Girlfriend Cheated On Me And Spread Rumors That I Was A Guy Who Would Sleep With Anyone, I Decided To Just Accept It And Ended Up Dating The Most Slutty Girl In School. - Chapter 30: Remote Vibe Special Edition.

Remote Vibe Special Edition.

Thus, the two of them began their visit with a commemorative photo at the entrance: a pristine white shrine of the goddess (a scene reminiscent of otherworldly reincarnation settings and the classic trope of being run over by a truck-kun!). They then passed through the “gate to another world,” a long tunnel featuring chaotic project mapping visuals that change according to the collaboration event, and entered the Town of Beginnings area.

“Welcome, travelers. This is the Town of Beginnings,” said a cast member in front of a sign that looked straight out of a fantasy RPG.

The town itself, perfectly fitting its name, was bustling with residents reminiscent of typical fantasy settings, a variety of demihumans, and cast members dressed in adventurer-like outfits.

“It feels like we’ve entered a theme park,” said Naoki.

“Yeah, my excitement is through the roof,” replied Kirara.

Naoki effortlessly picked up on Kirara’s playful remark. Though they didn’t act this way at school due to the presence of others, Kirara frequently threw in otaku references when they were alone.

“Seriously, it’s so thrilling. It feels like we’ve really been reincarnated into another world,” Kirara said, her eyes sparkling like a child’s.

“It’s amazing, right? The costumes and equipment are so detailed. I wish I could make something like tha~~t,” Kirara added.

“Haha, that’s a very ‘layer’ response,” Naoki chuckled, enjoying Kirara’s enthusiastic reaction.

They whispered these conversations to avoid being overheard by anyone from their school, as there were familiar faces among the couples and groups they had seen on the bus.

Enjoying the theme park as an otaku was just a bonus. The real purpose was to fully embrace their roles as a cool gal and a slightly rebellious handsome guy, making the date feel like a genuine outing for ordinary people.

“Still, it’s incredible. There are so many guests, but the number of cast members is impressive too,” Naoki remarked.

While he had no way to compare with other theme parks, it did seem like there were an unusually high number of cast members in Fantasyland. At a glance, about ten percent of the people were in some sort of costume.

Some of the costumes were of questionable quality, but others were of legendary hero caliber, seemingly out of place for the Town of Beginnings. There were also recognizable groups and familiar faces from various media.

“Hey, isn’t that a character from ‘KonoSuba’!?” Naoki suddenly exclaimed.

He hadn’t recognized them right away because they weren’t the main party from Kazuma’s group, but rather the supporting cast from Dust’s party. Upon closer inspection, he noticed characters from other famous works like ‘Overlord,’ ‘Re:Zero,’ and ‘DanMachi’ wandering around.

“Are they doing some sort of collaboration event?” Naoki wondered aloud.

It seemed like the only plausible explanation, though he hadn’t seen any such announcement on the site. Furthermore, the cast members included not just light novel characters but also ones from manga and games, transcending company and media boundaries. Such a large-scale collaboration seemed almost unbelievable.

“Wrong answer!”

Kirara’s mischievous smile suggested she already knew the answer. She leaned in and whispered in Naoki’s ear.

“Actually, there’s a cosplay event happening at Fantasyland today~!”

“No way!”

That explanation made perfect sense.

Most of the people Naoki had thought were cast members were actually participants in the cosplay event. On closer inspection, he noticed that the cosplayers were wearing identification tags around their necks to distinguish themselves from the staff.

“I thought it’d be a great chance for you to experience the charm of cosplay… Was that not okay with you?”

Kirara nervously poked at her chest, looking uncertain.

“Not at all. I’m an otaku, you know? I’m super excited!”

“Oh, thank goodness!”

“You know, you could have brought a cosplay outfit yourself.”

While the fake uniforms were cute, Naoki, as an otaku, was eager to see Kirara dressed as a character.

“I thought about it, but I worried it might reveal my identity at the wrong time, and if it didn’t, it would defeat the purpose of the date where we show off as a cool couple…”

“Yeah, that makes sense.”

At school, Kirara was known as a stylish gal. While a minor interest in otaku culture might be acceptable, having a cosplay hobby would definitely be a no-go.

However, if she transformed so much that she went unnoticed, it would undermine the purpose of this date, which was to let Chiharu and their school peers see them as a stylish couple.

“But, it would be nice to see you in cosplay at least once.”

“…It’s fine, but isn’t it unfair if only I’m in cosplay?”

Kirara’s words seemed to be waiting for Naoki’s response.

“Are you asking me to do cosplay too?”

Naoki recalled that he had been invited to do cosplay before.

“I’d be happy if you did…”

Kirara glanced at him nervously.

She was a stunningly beautiful girl, a stylish gal, resilient against bullying, with a great personality and cooking skills, and an (probably) impressive cosplayer.

It puzzled Naoki why she seemed so anxious, given that he had no competitive edge against her in any regard.

“…Well, if Kirara, if you say so, I don’t mind.”

“Really!?”

Kirara’s face lit up as if she had won a difficult challenge.

“I wouldn’t lie. But I don’t have any costumes.”

“That’s okay. I’ll make one for you. What do you want to wear? Full-body armor or a mascot costume might be a bit tough… but if you really insist, I’ll do my best!”

With a determined look, Kirara clenched her fist.

“No, you’re getting ahead of yourself! And it’s not necessary! I’ll buy my own costume!”

“I want to make it! It’s expensive to buy, and the quality is often low. Plus, there are very few pre-made men’s costumes. If we’re going to match, I want it to be a good one!”

“Got it! Just keep your voice down!”

Naoki raised a finger, prompting Kirara to quickly cover her mouth.

“S-Sorry. I get so excited when it comes to cosplay…”

It seemed to be the nature of otaku enthusiasm.

“It’s fine with me, but you should be careful not to cause any trouble for yourself.”

“…Yeah.”

Nodding solemnly, Kirara made a gesture of zipping her mouth.

“Well then, shall we start by exploring around here?”

“Sure! Want to take pictures with the cosplayers? Most of them are happy to pose if you ask nicely!”

“Seriously!?”

“Seriously! They’re usually more than happy to do it! At least, that’s how it is for me.”

“…Does that mean it’s okay to be in the photos together?”

“Of course! Actually, they’d probably be even happier if you’re in the photo with them. It shows you really appreciate the work!”

“Wow! I really want to take some photos! But is it okay? I don’t want to be a bother to you…”

“It should be fine. I mean, you’re an otaku anyway. Just say that you’re indulging in your hobby with me. Also, I’ve been feeling a bit constrained not being able to show my otaku side at school, so maybe I’ll start revealing a bit of it, saying I got into it because of you.”

Kirara looked at Naoki, seeking his opinion.

“You can do whatever you want. I’ve already received plenty of help from you. I’d feel bad if you didn’t get something out of this.”

“…Just being here with you is already more than enough for me.”

Mumbling softly, Kirara added, “Well then, I’ll take advantage of it without hesitation!”

She smiled shyly, trying to hide her embarrassment.

***

(…What is this? It smells like pure otaku.)

Chiharu was already annoyed as soon as they arrived at Fantasy Land.

To begin with, Chiharu didn’t like amusement parks or theme parks.

As a child, she had a normal interest in them, but her family’s financial situation prevented her from going, and she was often left out as a result.

Because of this, her attitude towards theme parks had become quite jaded; she now viewed anyone who got excited at amusement parks as childish and foolish.

On the other hand, Chiharu had a rather trendy side to her.

Fantasy Land was popular among the cool crowd at school, and it was frequently advertised on TV. She had seen news of popular Korean idols and trending bands performing outdoor concerts and had seen stylish, cute images on Instagram, so she had some expectations.

Indeed, it was clear that a lot of money had been spent.

The scenery was beautiful, the buildings were stylish, and even the costumed cast members made her feel as if she had stepped into the Cinderella world she had admired as a child.

For this day, Chiharu had dressed up in a princess-like white dress that Takashi had bought for her, and she had also had her hair styled into soft, voluminous waves at a salon.

She had ordered Takashi a sophisticated, formal suit that evoked an English gentleman’s look.

If you were to describe them now, it would be like a princess and her butler.

Chiharu had no complaints about that.

This setup would surely rake in likes on Instagram, and the school crowd would be impressed and envious, thinking it was amazing. She doubted she’d be outdone by Naoki and that bitch.

What Chiharu found unacceptable was the multitude of bizarre, otaku-like costumes everywhere.

They were likely cosplayers.

They are crazy people who cannot distinguish between reality and delusion.

Adults well into their prime are walking around the area in gaudy, vulgar outfits that lack any semblance of reality, and then posing with smug looks on their faces in the middle of the most photogenic spots, taking photos of each other.

It’s so damn annoying.

No matter how fashionable an amusement park is, it’s a real letdown if something like this is walking around.

It also gets reflected in selfies and ruins the picture.

They were out-of-touch adults parading around in flashy, tacky outfits with no sense of reality, striking pose after pose in popular photo spots, snapping pictures with smug expressions.

It was incredibly annoying.

More than anything, when I see these guys I can’t help but think of Naoki.

In fact, some of them were dressed exactly like the otaku dolls that were displayed in Naoki’s room.

I remember when I was having sex in Naoki’s room, I felt like I was being watched by the otaku dolls displayed on the shelf, and I felt really uncomfortable.

Why do you want a girl otaku doll when you have such a cute girlfriend!

If you’re going to display something, display my figure!

This has led to arguments more than once or twice.

Naoki said, “These guys just collect them because they like the characters, and they’ve never looked at them in a sexual way,” but that’s a total lie. Because they’re all dressed like whores. I’m sure they’re using the otaku dolls as fap material and setting off dick trains when Chiharu’s not looking. 

When I think about it, I feel like throwing up. And I feel incredibly sad. Am I worth less than an otaku doll?

Anyway, since I’ve come here, I have to make it look like I’m having a lovey-dovey date with Takashi. I also have to prepare something to brag about to the guys at school tomorrow.

And so Chiharu was walking with Takashi through the Royal Capital area, hiding her inner irritation.

But then she saw a trio of women dressed in outfits from a Sunday morning children’s anime, Chiharu was taken aback.

“Wow! So cute! Can I take a photo?”

“Huh?”

The three women, dressed in costumes resembling characters from a popular show, had approached Chiharu with excitement. They were in their early twenties, but to Chiharu, they looked like “aunties.”

“That’s from ‘The Villainous Daughter’s Butler,’ right?”

“……No, it’s just casual wear,” Chiharu replied, hiding behind Takashi and mumbling.

Internally, Chiharu was fuming, thinking, What the hell? Don’t lump me with you dirty otaku!

But Chiharu was the epitome of shyness when it came to anyone other than Naoki.

“Eh!? Then you are just wearing a normal clothing? I’m sorry! You looked so cute that I got it wrong!”

“Y-yeah. It’s fine…” Chiharu responded nervously to the flustered woman.

Being mistaken for an otaku was infuriating, but being called cute by an adult woman was not so bad.

(Hehe, of course! I am a beauty, after all. It’s no surprise otaku might make a mistake.)

Chiharu’s inner satisfaction was interrupted by Takashi’s comment.

“I don’t quite get it, but why not let them take the photo since they’re asking?” Takashi said with a smirk of his own.

“……Yeah. Since they asked, let’s go ahead and do it,” Chiharu agreed, feeling good about the situation.

Chiharu, who thrived on validation, felt that being photographed by a cosplayer was a small victory over otaku culture.

“Alright, could you both smile and link arms for the photo?” asked the woman in full pink cosplay, holding up a camera.

“Huh, eek!?” Chiharu’s voice squeaked unexpectedly.

Her practiced serene smile became stiff.

“Is something wrong?”

“N-no… It’s nothing…” Chiharu mumbled, blushing furiously as she shot a sidelong glare at Takashi.

“She’s just a bit shy, aren’t you, Chiharu-chan?” Takashi said, flashing a pleasant smile.

To Chiharu, it looked like nothing more than a lecherous grin.

“……Y-yes…” Chiharu agreed, trembling as she tried to keep her composure.

(What is this, some kind of embarrassing play? This perverted jerk…)

The real source of Chiharu’s frustration was her private embarrassment about the situation. She kept her feelings hidden, not wanting to reveal too much.