Chapter 4 (2/2)

”No, that's not how it is I was just surprised”

'Really…?'

”Yeah To summarize, it's like that How a dolphin and tuna can continue swiht? If I just think of Mary-san astoo crazy”

'Marine life!? Isn't that the crazier view!?'

”You're sofish anyways”

'M-Mary-san's ie is…!'

… But, I see

A norht hours, around a third of the day asleep

Yet even so, there are tier day than me must be evenconversations with ht be to distract herself from the tedium

So suddenly cafish…' to herself

”… Come to think of it, this picture…”

'Eep! … Yes, what is it?'

”You don't tan, do you”

Thinking back, just like in the picture I got the first time Mary calledten days under the blazing sun

'Ah, yes The irregularity called Mary-san has her base in a doll, so she can't tan… no, even without that, I'ularity, so any physical injuries fix themselves instantly'

”Eh? So physical attacks have no effect on irregularities? Then how do you get rid of them?”

'You want to get rid ofto be exorcised!?'

”Ah, no, that's not what I meant Just wanted to know for reference”

When I asked, Mary threw it out to the wind

'I think salt ram[4]'

”Oy, are youstuff up?”

'Irid of one teend's essence is erased is the otten by mankind'

”Ah, I see In a sense, you're a fleeting lot”

I don't really get if thator not

… In that case…

”What about the Purple Mirror[5]? In a sense, that urban legend's essence is one that lies in being forgotten, right?”

'Ah, Mr Purple Mirror, is it? Pained by self-contradiction, I hear he develops a stoe ceremony each year'

”How inconvenient…”

Where exactly is a mirror's stomach?

Theretheir own share of darkness

”Well whatever the case I no your arrival at my place isn't that far into the future… which means…”

'? Yes?'

”When you get to ?”

That's right Thinking back, I've never actually asked Mary what she intends to do once she gets here… because playing with her every day was fun

'What do you mean by what?'

”No, the Mary-san legend generally ends with the line, 'I'ht behind you' So what happens after that? … You aren't going to kill me, are you?”

'I' about!? That's impossible!'

”Then ill you do?”

'T-that's…'

Mary mumbled

I sensed a cold bead of sweat run down o silent there, it can't be you…?

”O-oy, Mary Don't tell me…”

'No, um…… I don't know either'

”… Say what?”

On Mary's words, I blankly open my mouth

'T-there's no helping it! I !'

”… No, that logic is messed up Even for a trainee, you should at least know the job you're training for”

'You're ularity that ends the moment you turn around'

”… What do you mean by that?”

I tilt my head

I end that ends right after you turn around , but so what? She doesn't knohat happens after you turn?

'You don't get it? With Mary-san, you see, it's precisely because you don't knohat happens when you turn around, that the urban legend continues to hold its popularity'

”… Hmm?”

'Hypothetically, purely hypothetically, okay? Let's just say that Mary-san is the sort of irregularity that kills the target as soon as they turn In that instance, she's already a failure'

”Why?”

'Ito pass on the story?'

”… Ah”

'Mary-san is an irregularity without a definite conclusion It's precisely because the outcoend has survived… so it's all handled case by case'

”Is that hoorks?”

'That's hoorks If you want to coularities, huerous one, but in exchange, the ways to counteract her are just as fa hands on customers if it doesn’t boost sales, so there really aren't too ends who just inflict harm on people, no questions asked'

Meaning the et turns around, the narrative is over Whatever happens next is all up to how Mary-san feels Well, in a sense, I guess you could call it obvious, but…

But, well That's a bit of a relief

I try proposing so

”… Then why don't you try asking your senior in the business?”

'Senior, is it?'

”Yeah The fact that you're a trainee ht? I'm a bit interested, so why don't you ask how she handles it?”

Mary seemed to show some interest in my proposal

'Ooh! Nice idea! I'll write up an email at once!'

”Ah, so the active Mary-san uses e-mail”

What this Mary uses is a free ap?

A few ain

”Mary, you already got in touch? That was fast”

'Phones are our tools of the trade, after all If you call yourself Mary-san, you can never neglect to check… u to read it word for word, okay?'

”Sure, go ahead”

It sounded like Mary was scrolling down the screen as she spoke into the smartphone's receiver

'U, it see a trainee isn't far off]… Ehehe Yay, she praised me!'

”Yeah, yeah, you're a Go on”

'You could be a little happier forabout my lived experience, don't try too hard to adhere to what I'ht to it, option one snatch their wallet and run]'

”That's just pickpocketing!”

When I thought she was saying so respectable, it was all wasted

Forget not trying hard to adhere, I don't want Mary to use this person for reference at all

'U-u on…! … [Option two, kick them in the crotch and run]'

”It's decided! Your senior Mary-san is just a villain!”

'U-umm, umm! … [Options one and two are mainly to be used on people who piss you off It is possible to get in combos after the initial blow This is a surprise attack from behind, the success rate is 100]'

”How mean-spirited! Jesus!”

She's just an indiscriminate attacker

Perhaps Mary sensed that as well, she frantically started reading on

'T-that shouldn't be everything! … [Option three Erase your presence and run If your target is yakuza or so this option]'

”This trash isn't even giving space for anyone to stand up for her!”

Run away if they're scary? What do you think your null physical dae attribute is for?

My ie of Mary-san is already in shattered pieces strewn about the floor

'… Ah! This one looks alright! [Option four, if you're dealing with a child, give the your leave]'

”She's blatantly trying to redeem herself…”

… But This is, well, I guess it's not bad

It's not like it e plus It's not like Mary-san is 100 trash, if she was a delinquent, she'd be the type of delinquent who'd take in a dog on a rainy day

Meaning, I' like that…

'… [Option five If the target is smitten with you, have them treat you to a meal and pay for your cab before you take your leave (Take caution,in touch with you afterwards)]'

”As I thought! That's actually kinda a relief!”

The style hich she drops a mildly raised evaluation to the depths of the earth, I don't hate it After one lap, her co

Mary's voice was growing disheartened

'I-it looks like the next one's the last one… [Optionsix, if the target is your type, go back to his place and have some crazy s–]…!?'

Mary's voice cut off From across the line, I could hear some, 'a…!' and, 'W-what am I supposed…!?' in the distance

Exactly three minutes later, Mary spoke

'O-option four If you like the person, it seeht-time sports…'

”At this point, just come out and say it!”

What's with that half-assed translation?

On the contrary, it's kinda erotic!

”For now, Mary Switch out with the active Mary-san”

'A-Akira!? I-I don't think you should do that sort of thing! In the first place, there's no way she would keep you company! S-so, um, you'll h-h-have to put up with m…'

”Coot no interest in little girls”

'Akira, you idiot!'

Following a click, the call was disconnected

The next day, Mary was a little angry

[1] Tsuku its master a hundred years A variant of yokai

[2] This is a reference to Dragon Quest: The Great Adventure of Dai, where Rook Warrior Block switches places with his king, For Hadlar in order to save him and transport him to safety

[3] The Kanmon Straits connect Honshu and Kyushu

[4] Two hundred yen is around two USD

[5] The Purple Mirror

”The purple mirror,” if you remember those words up to the time you turn twenty, it is said you ind up dead It is said that a curse is hidden in the words

Long ago, there was a certain irl

The young girl smeared purple paint over the precious hand mirror she received from her parents

The girl thought it would surely coiven time, but no matter what she did, the colors wouldn't co while and, ”Purple rets as she passed on her 20th birthday

Ever since that day, the young girl's regrets possessed the words 'purple mirror', and those who remember and think back to those words to the time they turn 20 will be cursed to unhappiness

The details of the curse vary froment will sever your life In others, you won't be able to marry There are various words (Blue Mirror, White Mirror… etc, varies by region) You can side it to counteract the curse