Chapter 1: Prologue

It is a warm summer day here in Chiba, a perfect weather for I, Hikigaya Hachiman, to take one of my very rare ventures outside the sweet sanctuary that is my home.

Why is a loner like me in public today when I could laze around all day in the comfort of my own home, you ask? The answer: I was bored.

Seriously, lazing around has been my everyday life for most of the summer. Even I can grow tired of it, you know?

And so here I am, taking a stroll. Of course, let's not forget the most important thing of all – I am on a stroll while drinking MAX Coffee.

Aah, the nectar of the gods... what would I do without you.

In any case, eventually my legs come to a halt.

An old antiques shop.

Usually, I wouldn't bother with such things. However, a certain item visible through the display window caught my attention.

A golden, pointy crown, with three rubies etched upon it. I have seen various crowns in pictures, movies, even museums, but... a crown like this is a first for me. One could even say it captivated me in some strange way, as if calling me.

A feeling like this is a first for me. A loner can ignore many things, especially the King of Loners that is I, but this strange feeling is something else.

"Might as well take a look."

It's not as if I'm going to buy the damn thing. Just to take a look. It's not as if I could afford such a thing with my humble allowance anyways.

Or so I thought.

"Thank you for your purchase. Please, come again."

So said the old lady, nearing her 80s, with a smile. She had sold the crown for far too cheap a price in my opinion, and for some reason I couldn't resist. Still, even that cheap a price dealt a heavy blow on my savings.

(What am I doing? Seriously... it's just a crown.)

I held it in my hands, admiring its beauty.

"Huh?"

I blinked several times, even shook my head, but to no avail. I hear no voice, but it feels as though someone is telling me to put the crown on.

"I... wait, no."

(There are people around. I put my chuunibyou days behind me! At least, let me find somewhere more... secluded.)

Feeling slight embarrassment, but even more so a strange desire to wear the crown, I hastily searched for a secluded area.

An abandoned building, that will do it.

The door was barricaded with wooden planks. However, one of the windows was open – rather, the planks had been broken off. Perhaps this was one of those places where the homeless lived or where dumb teenagers gathered to smoke and drink.

"Is this place even safe? I hope I'm not attacked by some hobo."

Having stepped through the window, there was no turning back. Well, there was, but the crown in my hands told me otherwise.

Eventually, I reached a spot I felt comfortable with, and took the crown in both hands.

"Seriously... what am I doing?"

Without thinking about this much more, I put on the crown.


The summer has passed, and my second year at Sobu High has begun.

In the class 2F, I am faking sleep during a break. This is so that people would not bother me, and I could observe them in peace. While I might not seem it, I prefer to be aware of things around me. Interacting with others is a pain though, so I compromise. Besides, there's nothing better to do anyway.

"Come to think of it, did you guys hear about the ice explosion that happened a week ago?"

One of the kids began a new topic of discussion with their clique. A topic I was the most knowledgeable of, sadly.

A week ago, the last days of summer, when I purchased a certain crown.

An explosion of ice, an event I was involved with, but managed to escape unnoticed by anyone.

At those words, I flinched uneasily.

Luckily, no one ever pays any attention to the class loner, and so I was left unnoticed.

"Oh, yeah! I remember that one. They never found out what it was about, right? I heard rumors that it was a terrorist attack."

"A terrorist attack? I think it was aliens."

"Dude, someone would have spotted a space ship if it were aliens. I think it was a failed science experiment. Maybe the government was testing a new weapon?"

"No way, dude. They would do that at a secluded area. Hm, but if they wanted to see how the public reacts to it, then you might be right."

It's been a week already, and yet people still talk about it.

I can't take this anymore. Standing up, I leave the classroom for the bathroom.

As I hurriedly walk, I feel my shoulder pushed, but I ignore it. I need to get to the bathroom, to calm myself.

"H-hey, watch where you're going! Creep!"

Ah, so it was a girl. Still, to call me a creep just because of that... meh, whatever, I'm used to worse.

In the bathroom, I wash my face.

Looking at the mirror, the reflection that greets me doesn't help at all.

"What are you doing, Hachiman? Put on the crown."

A reflection of myself, smiling creepily and with the damned crown on its head, tells me those words.

"...Stop it."

"Aah... why do you resist, Hachiman? The crown promises power, wouldn't you like to change this world, this shitty youth as you call it?"

I've faced this hallucination ever since I put the damn crown on. I should've known it was suspicious when I felt compelled to wear it. I know that it is pointless to argue with the reflection, it just won't shut up!

And so, I am reduced to begging.

"...Stop. Please!"

"Just put on the crown, Hachiman. Let's make those fools who rejoice with youth freeze forever."

Pulling at my hair, I couldn't help but yell at the reflection.

"I said stop! I'm not putting that damn thing on my head ever again!"

And so I rushed out of the bathroom.

I need to calm myself. Perhaps I should call in sick and go home today?

"—Grah!"

Right outside the bathroom, a person covered in blood and bite marks tackles me. Incomprehensible noises escaped its mouth, akin to animalistic growls.

"You're not helping me zombie!"

I push the thing away from me. It falls on the ground with a loud thud, but it is not concern that floods my mind.

(Wait, what? A zombie!?)

Great, and now a zombie is here.