Chapter 5 (1/2)
Day 14: The Past with Mary-san
”One, two, three, four… 'You open a ht Pay an 100,000 fine'… I'm on the steady path to bankruptcy!”
'Gnnn… I'll make a recovery Spin the roulette!'
”Got it”
Tikatikatikatikatika…
The spinning sound of the cheap spinner slows to indicate a number
”You got a six Which ifts' Serves you right!”
'Again!? Just how ame!?'
”That ed a blessed household”
'Kuh…'
'Twas Mary's vexed voice
For the past two days, we've been playing the Gastore in the area To ly well made, it caer side, providing a relatively long span of enjoyment
'Akira, the ed the rules, you suddenly became way too overpowered…'
”I really wonder why Perhaps eared towards self-destruction”
'That just '
On Mary's sulky voice, tsk, tsk, tsk, I wag ht
Naïve, too naïve, Mary
”Happiness isn't all there is to life Life's all about reflecting on it all- fortune and misfortune- as the days pass you by”
'No, on this very game board, your life has far surpassed what could be called a disaster'
I have to adame my house fell into debt the moment I was born, and even as I shoulderedround My property and fortune all lost, I tried playing the stock market, only for a world-wide recession to cause the prices to fluctuate violently, forcing me to put up all I had as collateral In a last-ditch effort, I tried dyeing ht in no ti has to up
However, that is precisely why I aame of life
”You're stronger theLife'…!”
'Is that really so about…?'
The Ga Life
The rules are simple Lower your total assets as much as possible, that's all there is to it
But for some reason, the ained a strength matched by none In normal rules, I always lost to Mary, but this special clause named me the absolute victor I was consistently put on the fast track to a life of complete failure
… Could it be I'?
I tried asking, but Mary gave a dubious response
'Er, well, I can't really say I'll admit you have a nature most worthy of a God of misfortune's possession, but…'
”Really!?”
'Yes It's said that good luck comes to those that smile, but on the other side of that, Gods of misfortune and other such existences classified as calamities often choose dark and sullen people'
”Am I that dark…”
What natural verbal abuse
When I was about to cruh
'Ah, that's not what Iabout you personally! … Um, there are some people who are just born with a disposition that attracts irregularities and evil spiritslike that'
Prettylike what?
”No, I host in my life, you know?”
'You drew me'
”Ah, I see”
Coet to thinking of Mary as just a norularity Perhaps it's because we play together every day… though even I say that, we've only got around half a month of this time left
There, I ask what suddenly came to mind
”… Huh, wait a second Then could it be the reason I don't have any friends is–”
'Ah, that's just a problem with you personally'
”That was fast!”
This accursed body that draws evil ends up rejecting the presence of others… with that super-cool setting, I'dsorceress and turn her hostile on a , only for the intervention of a third party causing us to work towards a coirl who tried to leave the organization after learning too er, the last boss gives a grand laugh… I had even i final arc
I sulk as I ask Mary
”And so? Why can't you say if I have a God ofme?”
'Because Gods of ious department Even if I have clairvoyance I won't be able to sense their presence'
”You urban legends are like that You've got way too ories, and it all sounds like an inflexible bureaucracy…”
'Unlike the fine gentleends are still newcoues'
She makes it sound like there's some discord between the departments
It's a hard world we live in I thought over it as I spin the roulette and reach the goal
'… Ah!?'
”There we go… all my possessions total up to a promissory note of 1,350,000”
'You shi+rked paying off a single dime…'
There's no doubt I left the world, leaving only an outrageous debt behind
I spin the spinner for Mary, gazing on as her funds continue to sobll in size
At this rate, Mary's going to reach the goal as a multi-millionair
'Muh…'
Mary was sulking
I sur her cold feet That really was a nice one, if I do say sobut praise the victor for five minutes
It seeht eood points I was unaware of at , but once five minutes were up… 'L-lie That was all a lie, I don't know a single good thing about you… I-I'm serious, you know? It's not like I just spoke out as really on !
… Well, it's a sorrowful tale, to have it all be a lie, but that aside, it's quite a wonderful, hard-to-obtain experience to have everything you do affirmed I hope she pulls out another one like that next time
I lightly brush s aside as I speak
”Give it up Your loss is already set in stone”
'Muh, gngn…! … Sure enough, you have a point'
”Oy, oy, don't be so down The tih the loudest”
'You're right You're right, but–'
”Good grief, you hate having to take a penalty that badly?”
'I don't want to, or how should I put it, if I have to do sos will lea… N-no! That's right! I aainst the concept of penalties! These tyrannical agreenore the free will of those subjected to them should be abolished!'
”Then how do you think I feel when I've carried them all out to this day?”
'Erk'
I sense what feels like her averting her eyes from the phone
Hah, I let out a sigh
… Well, I'et Mary to wait on e urge An exceedingly large urge But despite all of that, you know, it's precisely by letting her off with a tolerant heart, that I can show her the broadmindedness of an adult, is it not?
That being the case, in order to show Mary my tolerance, I made a certain proposal
”Mary, just this once, I don'tyou from a penalty”
'Oh? Really?'
”But under one condition”
'… I wonder what I' decent'
”Oy, oy, Mary, think back Was there ever a ti unreasonable or lied to you?”
'So in to list th…'
”No, of course not You can't re back on it now, just howwith consideration and sociability am I… I have to say I fear myself”
'You liar! We have a liar here!'
Ignoring Mary's accusations, I present my proposal
”Could you take a picture of yourself and send it to me?”
'… A picture, is it? … Y-you mean a pervy one?'
”Wrong! What do you take me for?”
'A pervert?'
Hmmm, this tone is, you know The tone of someone who simply, honestly believes I'ood, long talk with Mary one of these days
”… No, uht to commemorate the moment”
'Heh?'
But, well, if you insist… wait, no, that's wrong I don't have any particular ulterior ave out a norht voice of surprise
”So, you knoever things go, you're eventually going to reach my place and become Mary-san, aren't you? After that, on't be able to take it easy and play over the phone anymore, and it'll be lonely… so to remember this summer, I wanted some more picture of you”
'Akira…'
”D-don't irl, nothing more!”
'Akira Just now, you sounded seriously happy Please don't say anything that'll ht actually just be like that''
”Ah, got it”
'Please wait just a moment'
The photo sent after a little bit of time wasn't the usual selfie
A young girl projected against an expanse of sunset sky, her whole body dyed in crimson
A body so slender it ht snap, her small silhouette capped off by a straw hat
With the backlighting, I couldn't see her face itself But I could tell the girl was s
I entle and quiet, a picture that
'… Hoas it?'
”The best”
'I-is that so…'
When I inputted my frank impression into the phone call that came, Mary bashfully shrank her voice
… I s are nice I can't help but praise them
”Did you have someone take it for you?”
'Yes, I asked an old ood for an urban legend to interact with anyone who isn't the target'
But even so, I wanted to send a proper photo, said Mary
”… I'll treasure it Once you get over here, let's take one together”
'Yes, of course I guarantee it'll becohost photo'
”She guaranteed so crazy…”
So it's definitely cohost photo…
Well, if you say that, then this one's practically a ghost photo already
For a little while, silence passes as I gaze at the photograph
It wasn't as if it ard, and it wasn't as if I had nothing to say, even if we didn't talk this was plenty So no one spoke… How should I put it, over the course of this surown a little loose in a good sense, but otten a little better at reading that thing called the mood
As I gazed at the photo, and thought over such things, I noticed a certain so
”Mary, Can I ask you so?”
'Ah, yes What is it?'
”It's about your clothes… why are you wearing a one piece?”
'Is it strange?'
”No, it suits you extremely well”
Those garave off a vibe more summery than any other, they fit a delicate silky-black haired young girl exceedingly well There was no doubt in my mind they suited her However
”Mary-san was based off of an old western doll, right? Then shouldn't it be a fancy dress?”
'You're fixating on soe I mean, a dress would be way too hot, would it not?'
…
No, yeah That's definitely true Coht
But why does that explanation feel so unsatisfying…
Their values are huends Yeah, if they're ination, then perhaps you could simply call it obvious
For argument's sake, she added on what sounded like an explanation
'Of course, the irregularity called Mary-san has her characteristics But originally, until the very end, Mary-san isn't supposed to be seen by her target, so no e Mary-san's ie'
”Even in camo?”
'Yes, even in camo'
”Even japanese clothes?”
'Of course, even japanese Clothes'
”Even a maid uniform?”
'I presume even a maid uniform'
”Even a swimsuit?”
'I'm sure even a swimsuit'
”Then come over to my place in a swimsuit”
'Very well, then a swiaround in a bathing suit in public?'
”… Eh?”
'Why do you look so purely perplexed!? So you were unaware, it was a desire that welled up from your subconscious!? Oh my, how scary, this person is scary!'