Chapter 3 The Third Day of Working

As it turns out, it wasn't just like Osamu Dazai; it really was Osamu Dazai.

"Dazai."

That's what Oda Sakunosuke called him.

Dazai Osamu sat down directly in front of me, leaning slightly towards Oda Sakunosuke, and said a few words to him with a grin. Then he turned his head, raised a finger, and his bare left eye curved slightly—that's right, this guy only showed his left eye; his right eye was completely wrapped in bandages.

"A cold beer," he said.

"Sir," I didn't answer immediately, but instead asked, "Are you of legal age?"

Japanese law prohibits minors from drinking alcohol.

Otherwise, the bar will be fined.

Dazai Osamu was clearly taken aback. He stared at me and blinked, as if he had just noticed me: "You're new here, aren't you?"

"Yes," I said.

"No wonder you asked that question." He smiled, looking completely naive.

"Are you a regular customer at our store?" I asked.

“Oh right.” Dazai Osamu blinked. “So, how about an ice-cold beer? It’s fine.”

After hesitating for a moment, I nodded and said, "Okay."

I placed the glass, half-filled with golden liquor, in front of Dazai Osamu and simply said, "Your sake."

Dazai Osamu was chatting with Oda Sakunosuke when he glanced at me quickly after my sudden remark. A lingering tenderness remained in his iris-colored eyes. Adhering to the fine traditions of a service worker, I smiled gently, trying to appear more approachable.

After I had some free time, I went back to wiping the bar counter.

Dazai Osamu and Oda Sakunosuke were right in front of me. I could tell they were in a relaxed atmosphere, but I didn't pay much attention to what they were talking about.

It wasn't until Dazai Osamu asked, "How's Oda Sakunosuke's manuscript coming along?"

"!"

Now that you've asked, I'm intrigued.

I slowed down my movements and strained my ears to hear Oda Sakunosuke's reply.

“I didn’t write much,” Oda Sakunosuke said.

I:"……"

I am very disappointed in you, Oda Sakunosuke.

"Huh?" Dazai Osamu drawled out the last syllable, "When are you handing it in?"

"The editor just sent me a message today saying it's due next Monday."

Dazai Osamu then asked, "Will there be enough time to finish writing?"

Oda Sakunosuke replied, "It should be possible."

That's fine.

I'm relieved now.

I breathed a sigh of relief and continued working as a bartender.

Dazai Osamu and Oda Sakunosuke were drinking and chatting at the bar, refilling their glasses as they talked.

During that time, I also heard Oda Sakunosuke mention "me"—the "me" from the editorial department of Yokohama Publishing House. His evaluation of me was: Mr. Mimori is very responsible.

To be honest, it feels pretty amazing to hear someone praise you to your face behind your back.

Dazai Osamu and Oda Sakunosuke chatted on and off for a long time, and by the time they left the bar, it was almost time for me to get off work.

When I left Lupin Bar after changing into my bartender uniform, it was just past nine o'clock at night. The sky over Yokohama was as black as ink, impossible to dispel, but Yokohama under the gloomy sky was dazzling with colorful lights, a night of neon lights that belonged to the bustling city and were baring their claws.

Unfortunately, it doesn't belong to me.

I had a busy day today.

In the morning, I prepare the company's financial statements; in the afternoon, I switch accounts to go to work at Yokohama Publishing House; and in the evening, I have to switch accounts again to work as a bartender at Lupin Bar.

I've never liked a fast-paced life; I get bored with constant trivialities.

But life forces me to act, and there's nothing I can control about it. I have no choice but to accept my fate.

Exhausted, I switched to the number change window.

Oh right, speaking of which, I might need to explain the relationship and differences between my alternate identity and my real self.

To be honest, this is a bit complicated, and I don't know if I can explain it clearly. I can only try to explain it in the simplest way possible so that you can understand.

My alternate identity and my original body do not coexist. When I log into my alternate identity, my original body goes into a dormant state. Moreover, my alternate identity can remain online for a very long time, sometimes for a week or even longer. While my alternate identity is online, my original body will fall into a dormant state for several days due to this uncontrollable force.

It was precisely because of this that I was once diagnosed with a variant disease similar to "Sleeping Beauty Syndrome".

The difference between the alternate account and the original account is that the alternate account is not a real entity. For example, when I log into the alternate account, the original account is merely a physical body in a dormant state. When I log out of the alternate account and return to the original account, the alternate account leaves nothing behind, just like when you log out of a game, nothing is left in the game.

...Does this explanation make sense...?

Well, it's okay if you don't understand.

In short, now that I've completed all the alternate account tasks, I can finally briefly switch back to my main account... although it doesn't seem like something to be happy about.

[Logout.]

[Yes, host.]

When my consciousness returned to my body, I felt the softness beneath me and the smell of disinfectant filling my nostrils.

I've met many people who dislike the smell of disinfectant. For example, when I accompanied my childhood friend to the hospital after he got injured playing volleyball, he looked very reluctant because he didn't like the smell of hospital disinfectant.

I don't dislike the smell of disinfectant that much; in fact, I think the smell is alright.

Oikawa—yes, my childhood friend is named Oikawa Toru. When I told him that, he looked at me in shock and shouted things like "This is outrageous!" and "How could anyone find the smell of disinfectant tolerable?"

Then he would get punched by Iwaizumi, who accompanied him to the hospital with me.

Oikawa and Iwaizumi both loved volleyball, and after graduating from junior high school, they both went to Aoba Josai, a strong volleyball school in Miyagi Prefecture. As for me, I didn't stay in Miyagi because I was accepted into a high school specializing in jutsu in Tokyo.

On the day before I left Miyagi, Oikawa and Iwaizumi went to the station to see me off.

Oikawa said, "Study hard. When Aoba Johsai makes it to the national tournament, we can meet in Tokyo."

pity.

Unfortunately, Miyagi Prefecture's representative is Shiratorizawa every year, and Aoba Josai has never made it to the national tournament.

It's a pity I'm no longer in Tokyo.

When I was seventeen, I unexpectedly fainted during the exorcism of the curse.

Medical diagnosis indicated that I was not attacked by any cursed spirits, and my coma was simply due to physical reasons.

Simply due to abnormalities in one's own body, consciousness may detach from the body at unpredictable times.

I asked Sister Shoko then, "Is there no other way?"

“No,” she said.

"Well, there's nothing we can do about it then." I could only sigh.

There's nothing we can do about that.

There's no way I could become a sorcerer like this.

After all, it's impossible for someone to faint during the exorcism process and be brought back unharmed by their companions every time.

Then, I dropped out of the sorcery college and said goodbye to my lifelong career as a sorcerer.

This also contradicts the Tokyo agreement between Oikawa and Iwaizumi.