E-book Bonus: Original Short Story
“…Probably, the best move here is to let go of the switch and attack from the lower route. Shinohara, can you handle it?”
“Yeah, no problem. Just let me know the timing to start.”
Late May, a certain night past midnight.
Sitting on my bed in my room, I responded affirmatively to the tension-laced voice filtering through my earpiece, my eyes fixed earnestly on the monitor.
Hydrazia—the game I’m currently playing, freshly released just last week. It’s a so-called “death game,” where brutally tough enemies and stage gimmicks relentlessly assault the player. It offers both solo and co-op modes, and right now, I’m in co-op mode with the fake heiress, Saionji, on the other end of the earpiece.
“Three, two, one… Now!”
“Got it! …Whoa, I actually pulled it off. How’d you figure that out, Saionji?”
“Heh, child’s play for me. If you keep track of the entire screen’s movements, it’s not that tricky of a gimmick.”
Saionji’s voice brimmed with pride. …Hydrazia is supposed to be a brutally difficult action game, but thanks to Saionji flawlessly decoding every “gimmick” and “puzzle,” our progress has been remarkably smooth. It’s the kind of seamless run you wouldn’t expect even on a second playthrough. Her insight is, as always, terrifyingly sharp.
“…I mean, your controls are crazy good too.”
“? Obviously. I’ve put in a ton of practice. It’s only been a week since release, but I’ve already logged about fifty hours.”
“Fifty!? No, that’s way too much sleep you’re sacrificing… You gotta be careful, you know? It’s not like you’re in a position to doze off at school.”
“Well, true. Dozing off is absolutely out of the question, and I can’t even tell anyone but you that I’m playing a game like this. My usual persona is the ultimate heiress, after all. I’ve said I’ve never even seen a video game.”
“That’s refreshingly blatant lying…”
I muttered, exasperated. …Over the past couple of months, I’ve learned Saionji’s quite the multifaceted hobbyist, and that includes games like this. But she keeps all of it hidden to maintain her facade. Thinking about it, her “lie to disguise her existence” seems far more restrictive than mine.
Not that it’s directly related, but…
“I was just thinking… maybe you could loosen up a bit? It’d be bad if people found out you’re gaming with me, but there’s no rule saying an heiress can’t play games, right?”
“That’s true, but… no, it won’t do. I’m not just pretending to be an heiress—I’m pretending to be Sarasa. And Sarasa wouldn’t touch games.”
“Talk about dedication.”
“If I wasn’t, I couldn’t keep this up. …Besides, lately, I’ve started to think this kind of thing isn’t so bad.”
Saionji murmured faintly, her voice almost like a soliloquy. I mulled over her words but couldn’t quite grasp their meaning, so I found myself asking.
“…This kind of thing?”
“This kind of thing is exactly that. Last year, I didn’t have anyone to be honest with, so it was pretty rough. But now, I’ve got someone who shares my lies… Doesn’t it feel a bit special, like we’re in some secret pact?”
“…W-Well, thanks, I guess.”
“—!?”
My embarrassed reply must’ve made her realize what she’d just said. Saionji let out a small gasp through the earpiece, squirming for a moment before—
“—F-Forget that! Forget what I just said, right now!” she demanded, her commanding tone a forced attempt to mask her embarrassment.
