Zero Generation – The Survivors, Part I
That day, I was at the Totōru café near my workplace.
This time, I was the one waiting.
It all started with the embroidery experiment I’d done earlier.
After practicing on normal cloth and a few beginner kits, I couldn’t resist the urge to test whether the effects were real.
But finding scrap fabric in a dungeon isn’t exactly common.
So I thought:
Why not embroider a scarf?
And that led me to message her—the girl I’d exchanged contact info with on Lime.
Yeah, I hesitated.
A lot.
A middle‑aged guy messaging a younger girl on Lime?
It felt… questionable.
But curiosity won.
And she agreed to meet.
I had a mini sewing kit in my bag, ready to embroider the scarf right there and have her test the effect later.
“Hello. Did I keep you waiting?”
Misaki Kagami approached, slightly out of breath.
Cute outfit today too—
Nope. Stop. Bad thoughts. Focus.
“Nah, I just got here. What do you want to drink?”
“Then… iced tea, please.”
“Got it. One sec.”
Since I was the one who invited her, I was obviously paying.
We started with small talk, then I explained the real reason I’d asked her out.
“I mentioned this on Lime, but… if I stitch a certain pattern into your scarf, I think I can add a small performance boost.”
“I was already shocked when you repaired it and increased its stats… but adding new functions? It’s unbelievable.”
“It’s only a tiny percentage so far. And I know this scarf is important to you… but could I try it? Just once?”
“That’s fine. I’ve already seen the results of your repair. I trust you, Tōdō‑san.”
She smiled and handed me the scarf.
“Thanks. This time, I’m planning to use the same spider silk thread as before and embroider a bird sigil that boosts agility. Spider silk is nearly invisible, so no one will notice anything’s been added.”
“I understand. Please go ahead.”
“Alright, I’ll start now. It’ll take about thirty minutes.”
“Is it okay if I talk to you while you work?”
“A little.”
“Then… I’d like to know more about you.”
“…Me?”
I looked up from the scarf, surprised.
“Yes. I thought… it might be better to know you, rather than not know anything at all.”
“I’m just a boring guy, really.”
But Misaki kept asking questions—
one after another—
while I embroidered and watched the monitor overlay the sigil’s structure.
“So you’re twenty‑four… does that make you Zero Generation?”
“Well, I guess I’m right on the edge.”
Zero Generation.
The term refers to the beginning of the great catastrophe that struck this planet twenty years ago.
I was four years old.
And that was when I lost my parents.
