Fate/Apocrypha

Afterword

Afterword: By Haganeya Jin

—Let me tell you about a certain man.

From the time we first met, he was connected to pathology.

Dual pistols, doves, the church. Zombies, chainsaws, bloodbaths.

Other people scorn those dumb things. He rejoices at those dumb things.

Satisfaction, doting, dead drunk, climaxes.

The reason for such slovenly tastes is because of this good-for-nothing business where karma comes back to bite you.

But well, it's not such an unusual thing.

Coveting B-rated material of bad taste is the taste of otakus.

Of course, I'm talking about Higashide Yuuichirou. And I'm also reminiscing about the past.

The time was truly right at the end of the century. Though I say that, society wasn't in the midst of decay, freedom and violence and it wasn't such a crazy time, but in any case, we met at the dawn of the stagnant internet.

The trigger for our encounter with it was a certain game maker. In other words, the company that made the works with "Did the radios waves reach?", "I will kill you", "Hawawa~" (*Not referring to Koumei from Koihime Musou) and, though the work for this still hadn't been published back then, "I slept with Touya-kun". Well, in short, the game company Leaf. It was a series of short stories derived from their works. We had each written a piece at the time that we met.

The reason to why I've stuck with him this long is probably because our interests match—it wouldn't be wrong to say that, but I feel that's not accurate either. For instance, I had no interest in B-rated movies (especially horror). The reason I was tainted is 100% Higashide Yuuichirou's fault. He's just like a priest of joy and pleasure.

By the way, at the end of last year as well, he brought me to see the movie [Cabin] without any prior explanation at all (moreover, it was the English-version), so there's absolutely no difference in what he does now fifteen years after we first met. What is he doing on Christmas?

Well, getting back to the main subject. As for why I've stuck with him this long, well, at the very least, I personally think that it's because Higashide Yuuichirou is an extremely interesting man. And the greatest proof of this is the existence of this book.

And so everyone, it'd what you've all been waiting for! Scattering both sparks and the flowers of life through the air! Crossing weapons, tragedy and comedy! The second volume of the Great Holy Grail War! Delivered more brilliantly and grandly than ever!

...Or rather, it's more like, you know. The author himself said it in the first volume's afterword, but the book really conveys the feeling that he enjoyed writing it.

—Yeah, he hasn't changed at all. Just like back then, he writes what he truly likes truly as he likes to. That is Higashide Yuuichirou's [Origin].

This work is like a love letter to the story. As long as he doesn't lose sight of his [Origin] of [Like], he will never be betrayed by the story. Both the feelings of the author and the feelings of the readers will one day reach the Cup of Heaven.

Like how his feelings from back then have bloomed and born fruit now like this.

—Just before the end of the century. The month of December in the year 2000.

A certain doujin game sent waves of agitation through the world.

[Tsukihime].

It was produced by an amateur group known as Type Moon.

I was wrapped up within that frenzy, and naturally, so was Higashide Yuuichirou.

It was something he [liked]. That's why he definitely wanted to write up his love for this story in some form.

Of course, there was no way of knowing back then that Higashide Yuuichirou's [Fate/Apocrypha] would be born.

But well, it was definitely at that moment. The decisive turning point of his life.

In other words.

—That day, the good-for-nothing Higashide Yuuichirou encountered fate.