Forbidden Scrollery 31, final draft.

Also, rough translation of the new CoLA (Rinnosuke stories) below the break.

One of Kourindou’s rare guests, a bona fide resident of “the Outside World”.



The legendary serialization finally returns! The one and only illusory novel restarts here!



The Lonely and Aloof Secondhand Store



Not everyone who thinks going to school is a waste of time looks forward to the long breaks. Deciding for yourself what to do every single day can be its own agony. No matter how much someone may protest, our connections with others is the source of human vitality, in other words loneliness is death. Taking the stance that you don’t mind being alone is basically telling others who can see your loneliness that “I’m alone because I want to be, so don’t pity me.” For most people, that is. I’m an exception.



Upon entering summer break, someone like me with no friends and nowhere to go has pretty much kept to my room. But I’m not one of those shut-ins you hear about, who are afraid of going outside. No, like an artist protecting their vision from critics, or like a mathematician solving one of the Millenium Problems, or like a monk becoming a living Buddha through self-mummification, you should think of my seclusion as having a proactive purpose.



A little while ago I got the ability to leave behind this modern world and enter a world of fantasy, although only while sleeping. I haven’t the slightest clue what could have caused this, but it’s plain as day that my meddling is having an effect on the other world. In other words, while my body may be locked in my room asleep, my true self is off having adventures, exploring, and meeting new people every day.



“Ah… it’s always so refreshing in Gensokyo. Maybe it’s at a higher elevation? I can’t really tell, because the GPS doesn’t work.”



I’ve been using summer break as a chance to have longer trips to Gensokyo. While for all I know I’m leaving my body asleep in the modern world, strangely I haven’t noticed my muscles atrophying. In fact, some parts seem to be getting stronger. Either it’s something like sleep-studying, or maybe I’m actually coming here with my real body.



“So where should I go today? Reimu and Marisa told me not to go near the mountain or the forest, but I’ve been wondering why…”



Following my curiosity, I headed towards the forest. This is just a dream anyway. I’d already gotten used to youkai and ghosts, so nothing would surprise me anymore. Just when I was thinking that, I came across someone carrying a large object wrapped in paper under their arm. They hadn’t noticed me yet, but the object sticking out from under the paper caught my eye. No matter how I looked at it, it was a microwave or some other electronic appliance. Not something you’d expect to see in Gensokyo. I was interested, so I followed them.

After a little while, we approached the forest. My heart was pounding while I wondered whether they’d enter the forest or not, but then I saw a small building or storehouse right on the edge of the forest. It was overflowing with miscellaneous objects, and at a glance seemed to be one of those garbage-filled houses that are always bothering everyone. But a closer look revealed that the abandoned goods were being properly maintained, so you couldn’t exactly call it garbage. What really surprised me though were the kinds of things that had been left out. From large objects like road signs and bicycles, to cassette players and cathode ray TVs. Like things I’d seen in old photographs, they had the scent of the Showa era (although I hadn’t been born then). Almost everything was something you don’t see many of in Gensokyo, things from my world, the Outside World. Could it be that this wasn’t Gensokyo anymore, that I’d returned outside without realizing it? That’s the sort of delusion I was under.



A sign saying “Kourindou” like the name of a store had been hung.



I took a glance at the interior of my store. Most of the merchandise hadn’t been moved for a long time. I’d lost interest in seeing them. That said, more and more new goods have been arriving recently. Especially machines that use electricity. Unfortunately, that’s exactly the sort of electrical appliance that doesn’t sell. Supply and demand have become completely unbalanced. At this rate, business might become impracticable.



My name is Rinnosuke Morichika. I run the secondhand goods store “Kourindou”.



Lately, rather than trying to sell more merchandise, I’ve been thinking about exploring how I could use these imported goods from the Outside World to start a new business.



That’s why I haven’t been especially lonely, even on days without a single customer. The more time I have alone, the more time I have to think about ways to use my surplus. So even if I don’t get any customers, I’m-



*Door Opening Noise*



“Excuse me, this is a store, right?”



“Indeed, welcome. I sell secondhand goods. If something catches your eye, just let me know.”



“Secondhand goods… Oh, I see. I get it now.”



“They may be secondhand, but this is no ordinary antique shop. I mainly deal in merchandise from the outside world, the only place in all Gensokyo.”



“Haha, is that so?”



“Oh, you don’t seem surprised. These are imported goods, you know. Just take a look at that tool over there, you’ve never seen one those before, have you?”



“Oh, how nostalgic, it’s one of those old phones that doesn’t fold.”



“You know about cell phones? Just who are you…?”



“I’m Sumireko Usami. I’m from outside Gensokyo. Nice to meet you.”



“A-A human from outside? No way.”



“It’s true though. Um, maybe I have something that can prove it. Okay, here’s the latest style of cell phone. What do you think?”



I was surprised. It was surely years ahead of the other models.



I have the power to tell the name and purpose of an object at just a glance. What she had was called a Smartphone, and was without a doubt from the outside. Not only that, as she had a working import, she was definitely a human from the outside world.



Even as someone who handles outside world goods, I never imagined I’d have a human customer from the outside. But showing my excitement would be disgraceful, so I pretended to keep my cool.



“S-So how did you get to Gensokyo then?”



“Hmm, well, as first I tried to get here properly, but I made a little screw-up. Now though, I’m not sure why but I come here in my dreams.”



“In your dreams? So you’re saying you’re in a dream right now?”



“Pretty much. When I go to sleep, I come to Gensokyo, and when I wake up I’m back in reality. It’s been happening over and over again all summer.”



“Hmm, what an odd story. By the way, have you met Reimu- I mean, the Hakurei shrine maiden yet?”



“Yeah, I know Reimu. She basically takes care of me at the shrine when I’m here.”



Well that simplifies things. I’m sure Reimu thought to take her into protective custody after some kind of barrier incident, but as long as she’s aware there shouldn’t be a problem.



There was only one thing I was interested in.



“Um, if you’re from the outside world, you wouldn’t happen to have anything interesting on you, would you?”



“Huh?”



“As you can see, this shop deals in outside world goods. I’m sure they’re all boring everyday items to you, right?”



“Everyday items, huh? They’re more like antiques, honestly. It’s all stuff from before I was born.”



I had thought they were all the latest items, so I was a little shocked.



“Ah, I see. But either way, I have an interest in outside world goods. So I’d like to have at look at what you have with you.”



She wasn’t carrying much with her. This was expected, as she could only bring into her dream what she could carry to sleep. About all she she had with her was a small purse with a smartphone and wallet.



“I brought a phone, but since it’s out of range it’s not all that useful. But since it can tell the time, and I can read books and stuff when I’m bored, it’s still a necessity.”



“So you’re saying you can read books with it?”



“Yeah, e-books. I’ve got dozens of them in here. Well, comic books anyway.”



“That’s amazing! If they’re marketed well, they might even sell in Gensokyo. Lots of people read books.”



“What!? I don’t want that.”



“What do you mean?”



“I dunno, it’s just wrong. I don’t wanna see everyone in Gensokyo with their nose glued to a smartphone.”



“What wrong with that?”



“Nowadays, no matter where you go, everyone’s always engrossed with their phones. On the train, at the station, at restaurants… everywhere.”



“…if the humans outside are engrossed, what’s wrong with people in Gensokyo using them?”



“The thing is, if you really need to contact someone then they’re great. But if you’re just chatting about nothing, or reading gossip articles on the internet, or playing games, or watching cat videos… I mean, can’t you do that somewhere else? That’s all they do. I think people should pay more attention to what’s right in front of them. Even if they stumbled over the coolest thing in the world, they wouldn’t even notice. They just don’t care about things unless it looks like a picture of it will get them likes on social media. Even though the occult shows up wherever you go.”



Did something happen? She suddenly let loose a flurry of emotions. It was an anger I didn’t understand.



“If the people of Gensokyo start gathering smartphones right under my nose, I think I’ll stop coming. Although, I still don’t know how to stop.”



“I see. It’s hard for me to imagine the outside world, but I suppose they’re overrelying on these gadgets. But something’s odd here. If you hate smartphones that much, why do you treat it with so much care?”



“Th-That’s because, well, I need it. It’s got a clock, and maps, and the train schedules and stuff.”



“I’m sure everyone else thinks the same way. That they need it.”



“But! Everyone’s just looking down, stuck in their own worlds. Even though they’ve all been brought together by circumstance. If society places too much importance on remote communication, that’ll just weaken humanity’s individual abilities. This is a social problem.”



“I don’t know much about the problems of the outside world. But listen, a simple tool doesn’t have the power to make a person grow up, nor to regress them. Only something one-of-a-kind with magical power in it could do that.”



Indeed, I have the power to tell how something is used, and I’ve never seen a tool that was created to regress mankind. This smartphone seems to have all sorts of functions, but it’s true purpose is to “provide information for free.” Just by holding it, it provides all sorts of information to help you follow society’s rules. It must be an item created to preserve order. I can’t imagine how such a sophisticated social tool could possibly lead to a decline of the user’s abilities.



“So, would you be willing to sell me that smart-”



“No way. This is a brand new model. I still haven’t finished paying the installments.”



“Gah.”



“…Wait, so you’re saying you buy stuff from the outside world here?”



“Yes, that’s right. While I normally gather it myself, I’m not adverse to paying for them, depending on the item. Especially something that’s still in working order, I’m quite desperate for those.”



“Then I’ll bring something I don’t need next time. I’ve always wanted some Gensokyo money.”



“What, you’re broke?”



“I’ve just never run into a situation here where I needed money. It’s amazing what you can do in this society without any money.”



“Well, bartering is common in Gensokyo. The humans and youkai use different systems, so we don’t have a choice.”



“Bartering, huh…”



As if remembering something, she glanced around quickly.



“Is something wrong?”



“Oh yeah, I saw someone carrying an electronic appliance, and ended up following them here. Was that person here to barter too?”



“No, that wasn’t a customer, that was my assistant."

Lately, the places I can go to gather things myself have been limited, so I hired an assistant to go in my stead. They’ve been gathering odd items one after another. In return, they require only a modest payment and for me to tell them the name and purpose of what they find.



I’ve noticed a bias in what they collect though. I have a lot of worthless electronics here. So, in the end, there’s still a need for me go find things myself.



However, those electronics appeared to a fresh sight to the outside world human right in front of me. It seems the times have moved on.



"Wow, an MD player? I’ve heard of these, but I’ve never actually seen one before. And is this a cassette recorder? What a world of antiques. I wonder if I could get a good price for auctioning these off? That’s a pretty good idea.”



“Those are valuable, so please don’t touch them too much.”



“Fiiine. By the way, how much for them?”



“Weren’t you broke? But very well, this much.”



“Hmm, I can’t tell if that’s high or low.”



“Well, they’re worth several of your smartphones. I’m judging by weight.”



“Expensive!”



After promising to bring more imports next time, she left. I wasn’t able to sell anything, but our encounter was worth more than that.



This happened right when the new goods coming in were all the same, I was getting tired of them, and even thinking of closing the store. I never imagined I’d meet a human from the outside world. There was no doubt this would lead to the expansion of my knowledge of the goods. With both a reevaluation of the merchandise as well as replacing them with new goods, maybe the secondhand goods shop would be reborn.



I’ve always considered myself someone who doesn’t mind being alone, but meeting her made me reconsider that. After all, forming connections with others expands your worldview, and forces you to grow. If I can mature, the tools will be reborn as well. I’d like to proactively meet people and release these tools I’ve collected. Perhaps that’s the duty of a secondhand shop. Or so I thought.



To be continued next issue.

