UWA! The Path To Creating A Light Novel Is Riddled With Starlight And Honeycomb!

Chapter 1

Let me start off by explaining the rules of this world.

We live in fear of the things that lurk below the surface of the water, and because of rising ocean levels, the only safe places left are on top of ancient ruins.

Magic, a force long forgotten has stirred to life, though humans cannot use it. Powerful artifacts have been recovered from the depths, and creatures we thought never to exist now roam above and below the surface.

My name is Marisue, and I live in the ruins of Totally-Not-Tokyo.

I have been cursed from the day I was born.

Curses are common in my world, but my curse in particular is... unusual. Normally a curse will have a physical effect, but mine has nothing to do with appearance or ability. It's always active, and it's always RUINING my life.

How to prove this to you-...?

Ah, a simple example of my daily routine should be far past sufficient.

~

I wake up in the morning, and realize I'm late for school. This is a normal occurrence for me, and it's nothing to worry about. I am always excused for tardiness.

And so I take my time getting out of bed, dressing in the scruffy, uncomfortable garb of my world's human people, and eat what bland bread and small fish I can find in the pantry. Farming requires land, and we don't have a lot of that here in Totally-Not-Tokyo. Then I leave the empty penthouse apartment and start off across the network of bridges that span the tops of what were once known as skyscrapers. They are now the only things that reach above the water for miles.

I live alone. My parents left long ago, content to wander the world together, knowing they could easily stave off danger by merely charming it until it invited them over for tea. And my sister is busy running her empire- that is, she's the mayor of this place. She uses our family's blessing to get whatever she wants and rule over happy and contented citizens with ease. [She has the gall to call this curse a blessing. I am ashamed to remember I once called it that, too.]

I stroll across bridges, ignoring polite and cheerful 'good mornings' from my neighbors. My sister insisted I live close to her, and as a result my larger than necessary apartment is right underneath the mayor's office in one of the tallest buildings. But that also means I have to run a long way to school every day. School is a mid-level institution, meaning- in terms of safety from the water- it is important, but the rich don't want peasant children muddying up the higher levels. The peasantry, at least, that's what I call the lower class than I, live closest to the water in the smallest, most crowded homes.

I reach the wooden platform that leads to the stairs into the school building, built inside of an old office building. I hold my breath and count to thirty, to make it look like I was in more of a hurry to get here.

I burst into class and the teacher looks up from her desk. "Marisue." She says, looking unimpressed. "Take your seat."

"Yes ma'am!" I bow quickly and dash to my seat by the window. My teacher is one of the people who seems immune to my family's blessing, but once you get past their cold exterior, you can see they would do anything for you.

Whispers reverberate through the classroom, but I tune them out, as well as the teacher's droning on about maths and arithmetic. It's boring, and I know I won't get anything higher than a C on any math test. I'm not perfect, you know. Besides, looking out the window is much more interesting. It allows me to daydream about one of my secret treasures. My sister obtained it for me via the family blessing, but I've since been able to acquire more on my own.

Yes, one of the coveted, rare and valuable resources in this time of damp apocalypse, BOOKS. I love to read them because, oddly enough, hearing someone else's story is when I feel most alive. I feel REAL, watching how people overcome struggle, and also kind of glad I don't face stuff like they do. My family's blessing is all I really need to live a comfortable, easy life even in this despairing, albeit sunny and cheerful end of times...

Where was I- oh yes!- BOOKS! I prefer adventures, with daring escapes and exciting places I'd never hope to see. My sister waves off my fascination, saying I'll grow out of it, but I don't think I'll ever get tired of watching someone do heroic things for the good of all people. I can't help but look up to such people, and if heroes are people that others look up to, maybe I'm a hero too. The entirety of Totally-Not-Tokyo loves me, would do anything for me. Surely I qualify?

Ah, the rest of the class is packing up. I need to get out fast before I am stopped by-!

"Marisue, Marisue!" An excitable girl bounces up to me, followed by three more, all starry-eyed and squealing. "Won't you join the weaving club? We'd ever so much love to spend time with you!"

"Hey, hey!" A gang of boys forms next to the girls, blocking my exit from the classroom. "She should join the engineer's club! She's so smart, she'll be a natural!"

The two factions begin arguing, and I clear my throat. I put on my best sympathetic, tear-jerking look and speak up as they immediately quiet to hear me. "I-I'm sorry, but I promised nee-san I would help with her mayoral duties today..." It's literally the same excuse I use every day, and every day they say 'oh what a wonderful sister' and 'how noble' and let me pass.

Then I go home, toss my homework in the recycle, and settle in for a night of reading. When the sun goes down, I retrieve the glow-sprite lantern from its place by the window, where the sprites absorb light during the day, and use it to light my stories. Tonight is the tale of a hero who killed a dragon, saved a prince, and usurped a throne, all in the name of love!

I sigh, wishing I could be like her. Brave, courageous, and passionate. I've never been passionate about something, if only because I could easily get other people to do it for me.

Late into the night, I crawl into my bed, the nicest bed in town, and fall asleep. Tomorrow will be the same. The only things that change are the subjects my teacher teaches, the students who pester me after class, and the stories I read at night. This is my wonderful, leisure-filled life in the apocalypse.