That was a lie — just another carefully crafted line she'd set up for Sakiko Togawa.
Even so, Yoshiiro Chiose genuinely appreciated that Sakiko Togawa had offered her perspective.
After spending so much time inside simulations, Chiose's way of thinking had drifted dangerously close to that of a textbook villain.
Cunning. Greedy. Empathy worn down to almost nothing. Every word, every gesture laden with ulterior motive…
That wasn't good. It really wasn't.
[During extended simulation periods, the Host should make time to live properly in the real world. You have at least five years remaining — still a small number, but not immediately critical in the short term.]
No simulations for the next day or two, then.
She needed to decompress… otherwise she'd lose herself completely.
A warm breeze drifted through the cherry blossom trees. The blossoms had begun to fall. Chiose knew that when they came down in earnest, that would be the day she set out for Hane-oka.
"Haah… I kind of already knew it'd be next to impossible for someone who hasn't even started high school to find a job."
After going around in circles for half the afternoon, they'd come back empty-handed.
Plenty of places had decent-looking job listings, but the moment Chiose and Sakiko showed up in person, the door was shut in their faces.
Well — their ages kind of said it all.
Shops looking for long-term staff had no use for kids. Temp work was too unstable to count on.
This life of hers was getting narrower by the day. At this rate, one fine morning she'd be squeezed flat like meat paste.
Yoshiiro Chiose and Sakiko Togawa walked home in silence, too tired to say much of anything.
Then Chiose's attention was completely hijacked by a street performer singing on the roadside.
The guy was playing guitar.
His technique was nothing special, yet a small crowd had gathered around him anyway — and on top of that, he was… live-streaming!
"Sakiko! Do you play any instruments?!"
"What? Why are you asking out of nowhere?" Sakiko didn't particularly want to wade into that subject — but then she thought about how she'd given a guitar pick as a return gift earlier, which had probably planted the seed for this question, and decided to let it go.
"Look over there — that guy's live-streaming! He must be raking it in… It'd be so nice if someone would make music with me and earn some money that way. By myself it'd be way too thin."
"I…" Sakiko Togawa furrowed her brow. "I can play a bit — but I'm not planning to use it to make money. My skills are limited, so please don't get your hopes up."
That was a lie —
Sakiko Togawa's piano skills were exceptional. She'd chosen those words simply to sidestep a topic she'd rather not get into.
"Hehe, I'm actually pretty good on guitar, you know! I'll show you sometime when we get the chance, Sakiko!"
"Sure, sure…"
Sakiko Togawa filed away these little details in the back of her mind. No job today — but she had made the acquaintance of a guitar-playing little angel next door.
Not a bad haul, all things considered.
Who knew what that might lead to someday…
...
They parted ways, each carrying their own private thoughts. Chiose stopped by the deli on the way home and picked up some food for dinner.
"Money — I'm still so short on money. I need to save up enough to buy a guitar too. Next simulation I can put more practice into it… yeah… eventually I could try joining a band, or going in as a hired-gun guitarist."
Chiose was fretting about money again.
No simulation meant no lifespan. Simulation meant still no money. No money meant still no lifespan…
Skip the simulation — dead. Run the simulation — still dead. So what was even the point of simulating?!
[System has detected subtle existential confusion in Host regarding life. The System can offer a barter service. Would you like to browse?]
"?"
Since when did you have that feature?!
But aren't you the Lifelong Regret Simulator?!
"What do I trade, and what do I get for it?"
[Trade lifespan for items other than lifespan. Exceptional value — and once purchased, all sales are final.]
"No deal. Absolutely not… I worked so hard to claw my way up to a little over five years, and now you're eyeing my pathetically small life?!"
[But Host — you're very short on money, aren't you? And lifespan can be earned back through simulations. Other things cannot. Trading lifespan for items is, objectively, a great deal for someone in your position. Please don't resist.]
"..."
"Fine. But my precious little System has to promise me one thing first."
At the base of her building, Yoshiiro Chiose came to a stop.
[Please elaborate, Host.]
"From here on, you cooperate with me fully in every single simulation — free of charge — and you do exactly as I say inside them."
How about that? My dear System.
Chiose headed upstairs, her slender fingers trailing a long streak of fingerprints along the stair railing.
[Host is evolving fast — already negotiating with the System, I see. No objections. Terms accepted.]
"Then let me see what you can trade me!"
A proud smile spread across Chiose's face. She was absolutely certain that with the System's full cooperation, plus her own talent for staging other people's lives, glorious simulations would be born one after another!
But that smile didn't last long.
[¥1,000,000: Price — three months.]
[One ordinary apple that sparkles: Price — ten years.]
...
[Transfer your own lifespan to another person: for every extra day they live, Host loses two days.]
...
[One super-cool Mysterious Guitar: Price — twenty-nine days.]
[Remaining Lifespan: five years and twenty-nine days.]
"???"
Chiose froze on the staircase and stopped moving entirely.
"I'm literally a success story with two completed simulations under my belt — so why am I still as broke as a vagrant in this shop?!"
This was deeply unfair… Since when does an apple cost more than a human life?! And that guitar…
"You did this on purpose, didn't you?! Just knock off a zero and call it a day! So mean!"
[If this has caused any misunderstanding, it is purely coincidental.]
Sure it is…
One million yen for three months of life. A super-cool money-making guitar for less than a month… Buying a fishing net to catch fish beats buying the fish outright, every time.
Especially when Chiose could keep honing her guitar skills across future simulations.
Even a pig — give it dozens, hundreds of chances to practice — would become a guitar master eventually!
"I… I only need the guitar. Just the guitar."
Lifespan is finite. Regrets must exit gracefully.
Chiose had reached her front door. She cast one last, lingering look at the dazzling storefront.
There was even… a pill that could cure congenital cataracts in there! You cannot be serious!
This was basically a shameless, naked hint to keep simulating forever!
System… you are so wicked.
"Sis!"
Little Kyoumoto poked her head out from behind the door, and the moment she caught the familiar scent she didn't hesitate — she threw herself right at her.
"Honestly, Kyoumoto's already a big girl and she's still this clingy."
"But Sis is a big girl too, and she's still clingy with Kyoumoto."
"..."
Wow, you've got a point there. I have absolutely no comeback for that.
Chiose scooped up her soft little sister — but almost immediately she turned to look at the living room table with the expression of someone who'd just seen a ghost.
"That explains why I didn't hear a peep after I bought the guitar."
Sitting right there on the table was a guitar.
"So it delivers to your door, huh."
____
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