Ranobe Mo Ore Mo Sukina Gyaru - Volume 1 Chapter 1.1

Gal and Meetup 1

I tried meeting up with a fellow light novel enthusiast whom I had become friends with on social media, but it turned out that she was a beautiful gal from my class!

I never thought that I would encounter something like a long-winded light novel title…

With such a thought, I checked her appearance again.

She was a gal, a gal to the fullest, but not a light-skinned gal.

She’s so white that she’s almost transparent; she’s a gal with a clean and neat look.

Isn’t this gal contradictory?

“Alright, Let’s go! I’m looking forward to the autograph event!”

“Ah, yeah…”

With that feeble reply, I start walking behind Tsumakawa-san, who’s striding confidently ahead. Her excitement is palpable.

I really don’t get it!

How did a socially awkward otaku like me end up walking through Tokyo with a gal?

By the way, we’re currently heading towards a large bookstore near Shibuya Station, where the purpose of today’s meetup is to attend the book signing event for the author of 『Thanks to Reincarnation, I Could Get Engaged to a Goddess (Tensei shita okage de megami to kon’yaku dekimashita)』 ——or 『Tenkon』 for short.

Just the other day, Minacho-san proposed, ‘It’s a waste to just meet up, let’s go to the signing event together!’

So that’s why the two of us are on our way to the event venue in the bookstore…

Is this person Minacho-san? Are you really Minacho-san?

“You look kind of quiet, huh? Are you nervous?”

“N-No, I am not feeling any sense of nervousness…”

“Why are you using polite language? You seem about the same age, so casual language is fine.”

” ….. “

It seems she hasn’t realized that I am, Nezumayo, is her classmate.

Well, that’s understandable. I have about as much presence in that class as a roadside pebble. If anything, a pretty pebble might have more presence than me.

While thinking this, she continues talking with a somewhat cheerful tone.

“Anyway, I’m really glad we can meet like this in real life, Nezumayo! You’ve always been there for me when I want to talk… Fufu, you’re exactly the kind of otaku guy I imagined.”

“…are you making fun of me right now? “

“No, not at all. In fact, I was kind of expecting some seriously dangerous otaku to show up, so I’m disappointed to see this basic and not-so-creepy guy!”

“Stop making remarks that are unclear whether you’re building me up or putting me down.”

“Ah, sorry, but I’m seriously happy! ——I really like you, Nezumayo! Meeting like this in real life got me super excited! Let’s have a great time today!”

” …… “

As she says this with an innocent smile, I can’t help but be a bit embarrassed.

What’s with this girl? How can she throw so much genuine affection at someone who’s just an acquaintance from Twitter? She’s way too friendly…

As I’m thinking this, I finally ask her the question that’s been on my mind since earlier.

“…By the way, are you really ‘Minacho’?”

“You don’t believe me? “

“Well… I mean, I didn’t expect a sunny, outgoing gal like you to hang out on Twitter as a light novel reader and interact with an otaku like me…”

“Wait, Nezumayo-kun, you’re being biased and assuming gals don’t read light novels, aren’t you? In this day and age, it’s better to drop those narrow perspectives, okay?”

“Huh… With the way you’re talking, are you saying gals do read light novels?”

“Nope, generally they don’t!”

“They don’t? Then why did you mislead me like that, you gal?”

As I retort, Minacho-san, or rather, Tsumakawa-san, chuckles in amusement.

Then, she squints her eyes a little and starts talking eloquently.

“Honestly, I’m not your typical gal, you see? Ordinary gals probably don’t get saved by light novels during tough times like, ‘Life is so hard.’ But, I’m different.”

“…Minacho-san, have you been saved by light novels?”

“Hm, just once? When I was in the first year of middle school and had just started modeling, things weren’t going well at all… Maybe it was because I was a bit of an idiot about modeling at the time. Anyway, during that time, I happened to watch a late-night anime that was seriously interesting, and I got into the light novel based on that anime. That’s when I got hooked on the world of light novels.”

“I see… So that’s how it happened…”

“To be honest, there are so many enjoyable activities in the world, right? From karaoke and bowling to BBQ and shopping——even movies, manga and anime, they’re all so much fun. That’s why light novels, which require consuming and interacting with text, seem like a bothersome form of entertainment that demands too much effort and energy. But I don’t know why? This is what I love the most for some reason.”

” ….. “

“Why do I love it so much? If you were to ask me that, I wouldn’t have a straightforward answer… Maybe because it feels like the freest form of entertainment in the world. Maybe not really, but from my point of view as a reader, I feel that light novels are incredibly free. As long as the author has enough imagination, we can go anywhere, and reading them really excites me! There’s a mixture of good and bad because there’s such a huge variety – but when I dig and dig and dig into all sorts of works and finally discover a masterpiece light novel that’s just for me, I’m as happy as when I find a real diamond!  Or more like… uh, sorry, I got carried away.”

Just as I thought she was enjoying her conversation, Tsumakawa-san abruptly cut off the conversation.

On the other hand, I, who was amazed by her unexpected comment, said to myself in a whisper.

“Minacho-san always tweets long sentences, and the gal in front of me right now was saying something similar… Could it be that this girl is actually Minacho-san…?”

“Yay, you admit it! Gal Peace!”

“What’s with that ‘Gal Peace’? If it’s a peace sign with the fingers pointing downwards. That’s a ‘Down Peace’.” (TN: A pose like in the illustration (5th image).)

“You’re nitpicking Gal Peace, huh? Anyway, now you know, right? I’m the real Minacho, and I’m the one you’ve been having fun chats with, Nezumayo-kun!”

“Well, yeah… I guess so. You really are Minacho-san…”

With her values now communicated in a manner befitting Minacho-san, I finally grasped the fact that Minacho-san = the class sunny gal.

However, my feelings are quite complex…I don’t mean to be rude to her, but it’s still pretty shocking…

After all, today I was expecting to hang out with a male friend who loves light novels. And now, I’m attending a signing event with this dazzling white gal…

Gals are the last people we otaku types can understand and feel at ease around, right? As I ponder this, we reach the bookstore.

Inside, we head toward the floor where the light novels are placed to purchase the book to be signed by the author.