"In any case, this game is a JRPG. I didn’t play many JRPGs from the 90s, so I’m not sure what the atmosphere was like back then, but most JRPGs released in the 2020s tend to be anime-style games brimming with elements otaku would love."

The only difference might be the degree to which it’s done. Even when the graphics lean toward realism or Hollywood-level cinematics, often, you find that every main character, male or female, is ridiculously good-looking.

And their personalities? Less like film characters, more like anime characters. Even if they’re clearly white characters, they somehow fit better with Japanese voice acting than English. Their movements, too, feel exaggerated in a way.

Maybe this is just a bias I developed from playing so many of those kinds of games… but that’s certainly how it feels to me.

So, if someone were to ask me where *Legend of Ajerna* fits within the JRPG spectrum…

I could confidently say, "This is a game only true otaku could endure."

The 2D illustration-based character design is a minor detail. Regardless of its generally positive reviews on rating sites and digital platforms, the personalities and behaviors of the characters feel like they’ve been lifted straight from Japanese anime. Plus, there’s even a dating-sim style system for courting those characters.

Though it follows a single, overarching story, there are quite a few "obviously pandering" events scattered throughout.

A beach episode with the main heroines in swimsuits? Practically a requirement for this type of game. An academy festival episode where they dress up as waitresses in maid-like outfits? Skipping that would defeat the purpose of a school story.

And there are even some scenarios in this game that felt almost forcefully pandering.

For example, an episode set in a casino.

…The moment I saw "casino" in the game, I could already guess what the heroines’ outfits would look like. Apparently, I’m a bit of an otaku down to my bones.

---

Though I’d put out the immediate fire, there were still a lot of issues left to handle.

Alright, going tactical works well enough. Since this world doesn’t have much of this vibe, it’ll probably stand out. My methods might seem forward-thinking to others, but from my perspective, they’re a reasonably fitting combat style.

People would surely acknowledge that I’d honed my skills through hard-won experience as a veteran on the battlefield. And that was exactly the image I was aiming for.

The problem is, this jeopardizes the mysterious image I’ve been cultivating.

It’s possible to have a character with multiple layers, but if those concepts don’t harmonize, the character ends up as a jumbled mess. So, I needed to be more deliberate in crafting my persona.

"Got something on your mind?"

Alice, as always, picked up on my mood right away.

"It’s nothing serious."

"Come on, now."

Even when I brushed her off, Alice persisted.

"Well, you know…."

She hesitated, casting her eyes around as if unsure how to bring it up.

"I mean, I’m like your older sister, right? So if you’ve got any worries you can’t tell anyone else about, you can tell me."

"…."

I couldn’t help but turn and stare at Alice in disbelief, causing a faint blush to rise on her cheeks.

Her expression said she was fully aware of how forced her words sounded.

Which was no surprise, considering that she was usually the one struggling with inferiority, and I’d always been the one to boost her confidence.

"Ahem."

Clearing her throat, Alice quickly recovered her composure.

We’d been walking, but now we stopped, with no one else around. Alice likely chose this moment because of the privacy.

"Well, technically, you were born first."

"…."

"But, really, birthdays aren’t exactly reliable evidence here…."

"…."

"And, um, I was the one who lived with Father longer, wasn’t I? So, since you were taken in later…."

"…."

"So it wouldn’t be that strange to consider you my little sister… would it?"

If she’s so certain, why did she end her sentence with a question?

Well.

Honestly, I had no intention of arguing about this. Technically speaking, I’m not even really Alice’s sister. Digging deeper, it’s questionable whether I should even be considered female at all.

Sure, my body’s female, and I’ve been living like this for over a decade… barely 10 years if you count from the orphanage to now, but including my life before I was reborn, it’s well over 10 years.

But my life as a man was still longer than my life as a woman.

And could I really call myself Alice’s "brother"? Even that feels off. Wouldn’t I be closer to an old man by technicality?

"Well, if you want to think of it that way, then go ahead."

"…Your response is a bit lukewarm, you know?"

Was Alice trying to joke? Though, honestly, she seemed a little too serious.

Perhaps she felt a hint of jealousy, seeing Claire openly call me her sister. After all, we did grow up together in a sibling-like bond.

Maybe her pride just wouldn’t let her address me as "sister" like Claire did.

"Fine, whatever. You said I could, so from now on, you’re my little sister."

Still, it’s absurd no matter how you look at it.

I don’t call Lucas or Jayden "brother," so I certainly won’t be calling Alice "sister." She’s aware of that too.

We resumed walking.

Crossing the quiet campus grounds, we headed outside the academy gates.

The weather was beginning to feel like summer, by Rondarium standards. It was nowhere near as sweltering as the summers in Korea. Supposedly, temperatures here rarely exceed 30 degrees, even in summer.

But that doesn’t mean it isn’t warm. The air is warm, and the sun shines brightly. If it weren’t hot, people wouldn’t be flocking to the beach during summer.

"Alright, go ahead and take a seat."

The place we arrived at was a café.

We’d been coming here more frequently since our first visit, where we had parfaits. Alice seemed to believe I had taken a liking to this place, and to be fair, she wasn’t wrong.

I did enjoy it here. Few places serve such delicious desserts yet remain so free of customers.

"Hmph."

Seeing me sit quietly, Alice hummed, pleased.

"I figured you’d be craving it by now."

Truthfully, it wasn’t just "craving"; I almost always wanted something like this.

After all… it’s sweet. I have a fondness for sweet treats. Since becoming this person, I seem to like sugary foods even more.

Having won her little "sister" argument, Alice, delighted, eagerly made her way to the counter without even waiting for the waitress.

"…."

Watching her childlike enthusiasm, it was honestly hard to associate that image with "big sister."

Well, if that’s what she wants, I’ll play along.

While I sat quietly, watching her skip over to the counter—

"So, have you decided who the youngest is now?"

A voice drifted over.

"…."

I turned toward the source of the mature voice and found a woman sitting at a nearby table.

Her long silver hair was tucked behind her ears, exposing her forehead and giving her an air of decadence. Though her skin was dark, her hair, delicate eyebrows, and long lashes were all silver, creating a distinctly unique atmosphere.

Her gray eyes, usually disinterested, now held a spark of curiosity I hadn’t seen in ages.

Seated across from me, with her chin resting on her hands, was Bella.

Her last name was Fangriffon.

In the original story, she was the original owner of the relic sword, who died before the main events began.

"Oh, Lucas mentioned he had something he wanted to do, so he took a vacation without notice. I’ve taken over his duties for now. Father didn’t seem too upset, so don’t worry."

This character, who volunteered this unsolicited information in a languid, slightly slow voice, was one of the characters I found somewhat troublesome.

Though by now, she wasn’t as unpredictable as someone like Lena.