After leaving the drowned demon, Kamiya continued to carefully explore the area near the artificial lake.
And you know what? There was an unexpected bonus in the end.
On a conspicuous bench by the lake, Kamiya noticed a small, slightly reflective object.
Reflection is also light.
Kamiyagawa was able to revive the dead in "Kwaidan Monogatari" by using substitute paper figures, so he could be considered an immortal to some extent.
It is well known that immortals are phototropic.
I glanced around warily, but didn't see the headless high school student near the bench.
It looks quite safe.
So, Kamiya Gawa mustered his courage and approached.
Only upon closer inspection did I realize that what was placed on the bench was a small, short stick that gleamed with a silvery sheen.
Let's call it Little Silver Stick.
It's about the length of a middle finger, needle-shaped, thick at one end and thin at the other.
Kamiya picked up the small silver stick.
Buzzing.
My phone vibrated.
[Item Name: One Thousand Silver Needles]
[Quality: Rare]
[Effect: Reduces the probability of a lie being detected to some extent. This effect is influenced by many subjective and objective factors, including the holder's charisma, the wariness of the person being spoken to, and the context.]
[Note: Liars are said to have to swallow a thousand silver needles. Hehe, just kidding.]
"Can such a thick little silver stick be counted as a needle?" Kamiya was a little speechless.
Moreover, this artificial lake is a popular spot for confessions of love and dates in real life.
Finding a prop that enhances one's ability to lie in a place like this feels strangely darkly humorous.
Perhaps it's because this place has witnessed too many naive or not-so-naive, sincere or not-so-sincere lies and deceptions.
There's a saying that goes something like this: the most frequently mentioned lie in the world is "I love you."And it was followed by "I love you too".
Just as Kamiya Kawakawa put away the [One Thousand Silver Needles], he suddenly felt a pain in his lower back!
He turned around in astonishment, only to find a headless JK (high school girl) appearing behind him without him noticing.
Moreover, unlike the other JKs I've encountered, this one was actually carrying a weapon.
It was a bloodstained woodcutter's knife.
At this point, the needle had already pierced through Kamiyagawa's lower back, going right through him...
Completely in the dark.
Kamitani River, died.
...
In reality.
Kamiya scrambled to his feet in a panic, instinctively reaching for his lower back.
Thank goodness.
The kidneys are still there.
"The feeling of death in this game is just too real."
Kamiya wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and took several deep breaths to calm himself down.
This game is so trashy and despicable!
They put a prop in a conspicuous spot to lure me in, and once I've happily taken the bait, they pull out a monster from a hidden corner and bite my kidney, right?
Besides, I didn't do anything wrong, so why should I get hacked to pieces?
After cursing "Kwaidan Monogatari" in his mind several times, Kamiya picked up his phone.
A red death warning was displayed on the black screen—[The Evil Consequences of Greed]
Kamiyagawa:...
Selectively ignoring the death warning that was full of sarcasm, Kamiyagawa touched his pocket and pulled out a stick-like object.
A Thousand Silver Needles
The silver material is thick at one end and thin at the other, with a smooth and delicate feel, just like in the game.
Just as expected, the items obtained in "Kwaidan Monogatari" can indeed be brought into reality.
"Thank goodness this thing can be used in reality. If it could only be used in games, I'm afraid I'd really have to go and date a female ghost with silver needles."
With a self-deprecating laugh, Kamiya Kawa carefully put the silver needles away and picked up the paper figure on the ground, which was damaged in many places and had its head separated from its body.
If I had to say, exchanging a game death for an item isn't actually a bad deal.
I'll go test the effect of this prop in real life later.
7 PM.
Kamiya arrived at the convenience store where he worked.
Arriving at work on time is a basic requirement for every working person. Also, today is Friday, which is payday.
When I arrived at the store, Okamura, who works full-time, was already at work as usual, and the store manager was standing in front of the counter.
The convenience store where Kamiya worked was not a chain, but was entirely owned by the store manager.
The store manager's name is Kawai Ikumi. She is in her thirties, quite attractive, shrewd and capable, and a widow.
Oh, in their local dialect, they should be called widows.
"You've arrived, Kamiya-kun."
At this moment, Kawai Ikumi was wearing the store's work uniform on her upper body and tight black pantyhose on her lower body. The smooth black silk fabric perfectly outlined her shapely and fleshy legs.
"Yes, good evening, Manager Kawai."
Kamiya glanced at the shopkeeper's thigh, then looked away.
Although he currently has the appearance of a handsome young high school boy, beneath this exterior resides the soul of an adult man.
As expected, adults should watch things that are appropriate for adults.
That's really good.
Kawai Ikumi seemed to have noticed Kamiyagawa's gaze just now, but she didn't seem to care much, and might even have been a little smug about her own charm.
This may be the composure and strength of a mature woman.
She turned around, took out a wad of cash from her bag, counted out 15,000 yen, and handed it over: "Here you go, Kamiya-kun, this is your salary for this week."
"Thank you, Manager Kawai."
"You deserve it. You did a great job this week, keep it up. I have high hopes for you, Kamiya-kun." Kawai Ikumi smiled gently.
This mature woman's beautiful smile could easily captivate a young high school boy.
Kamiya quietly put away his week's earnings, went straight to the staff changing room, changed into his work clothes, and then took the [One Thousand Silver Needles] with him.
He had an idea.
When I returned to the store, Ikumi Kawai was by the refrigerated display case, bending over to check the expiration dates of bento boxes, sandwiches and other similar foods.
Seeing Kamiyagawa approaching, she brushed a stray hair behind her ear:
"What's wrong, Kamiya-kun? You look like you have something to say. If you have any teenage troubles, you can tell your older sister about them."
"Manager Kawai, what I wanted to say was," Kamiya said, holding a small silver stick in one hand and looking into Ikumi Kawai's eyes, "you haven't paid me this week's salary yet."
[One Thousand Silver Needles], effect activated.
"Huh? Hmm..."
Kawai Ikumi stared at Kamiyagawa's face, her expression slightly confused, as if there was something important that she was selectively ignoring.
A few seconds later, the widowed shopkeeper realized, "Oh, I was just about to give it to you."
She walked to the counter, picked up her bag, and casually counted out 15,000 yen: "Here you go, Kamiya-kun, this is your weekly salary. You did a good job this week, keep it up."
Kamiya carefully observed the changes in Kawai Ikumi's expression, but did not reach out to take the money. He simply waved his hand dismissively and said, "Sorry, Manager Kawai, I was just joking. You just paid me my salary."
"Huh?" Store Manager Kawai was taken aback, as if waking from a dream. "Eh? It seems, it seems so."
"Then I'm going to work." Kamiya gave a clean smile and turned to go to the cash register.
The entire night that followed, Manager Kawai was in a depressed mood, and would occasionally steal glances at Kamiyagawa while he was working.
"What on earth is going on? Could I have fallen for a high school boy? I admit Kamiya-kun is really good-looking, but is it enough to make me lose my mind? Why did I so easily believe his not-so-funny joke just now?!"
The widowed shop manager is frantically reflecting on her actions.