The owner of the STARRY Store, Seika, watched as Chisato, who had entered naturally, came out with a flushed face and a lost expression.
Her eyelids twitch involuntarily.
She knew that the four members of the Kessoku Band were good kids, but to stop herself from overthinking, she patted Chisato on the shoulder and softly asked what had happened.
However, Chisato stammered and wouldn't say anything, so Seika had no choice but to leave the bar to him and directly pushed open the door to the recording studio.
"Sis."
"Hey, Nijika, what did you guys do to Suzumiya-kun? He looks like he's been bullied and is about to cry."
"Ah, that's not important. Suzumiya-kun wrote a new song for us. We'll soon have our own original song!"
"That guy can write songs? Are you kidding me?"
Seika, who usually lazed around the bar watching videos, occasionally chatted with Chisato. She knew he had no musical background and was a complete outsider.
"I'm not kidding. Now, only the arrangement is left to be completed, and Ryo is working on it with all her might."
Listening to her sister, Seika looked to the other side.
Ryo, who had been writing something, gave her a peace sign and then lowered her head again.
Nijika showed a confident smile,
"So, if nothing goes wrong, once the arrangement is done, we can start practicing officially. Soon, we'll be able to perform on stage, and it will be a sensational debut! Sis, get ready!"
"Don't say I didn't warn you. The prouder they are, the harder they fall. If you really want to perform on stage, you have to pass my test first, or it's out of the question."
"Just wait, Sis. You'll be begging us to perform here!"
"That day will never come."
Seika left with those words, turning lightly.
"Just wait and see."
Nijika was full of confidence in the song Chisato had written.
At that moment, Ryo's stomach growled, and she looked up in pain,
"Nijika, I'm so hungry. I can't work on the arrangement without eating something."
"Didn't I treat you to grilled mochi on the way here?"
"That wasn't enough for someone who hasn't had a full meal in three days."
"Haha, it's okay, Nijika, Ryo, I'll order some takeout. How about fried chicken with milk tea?"
"I want a double portion!"
"Got it. We should also get a portion for our benefactor, Suzumiya-kun."
…
After a day of hard work, Chisato got off the train and walked home.
The rain had stopped since the afternoon, making the night air feel fresh, and the sky, now free of clouds, revealed twinkling stars.
After work, he didn't go home immediately but chatted with the band members for a while.
Ryo said that once the song's arrangement was complete, she would let Chisato listen to it first, hoping he could give feedback.
If there were any shortcomings or parts that didn't meet his expectations, she would continue to make adjustments.
Chisato agreed, as this was crucial for his future earnings.
If this method could indeed replicate the songs in his mind, it would be a significant shortcut for him, one he couldn't afford to ignore.
When he got home, it was already past ten o'clock. In the gap by the windowsill, the crow army led by Dark Wing had once again offered him over a thousand yen today.
Tomorrow was Saturday, so he didn't have to go to school and had no other plans. He finally relaxed, spending just over an hour at his desk before taking a bath and going to bed.
From next door came the sounds of a romance movie, with the actress's cries sounding pitiful. It seemed the neighbor was at it again.
A daily routine that made him worry about his neighbor's health.
Chisato opened the Evil Path Simulator, which he hadn't checked in a long time.
Since the update, he had been too busy with real-life matters to pay much attention to it.
Today, he finally had time to see what new content had been added.
[Evil Path Love Simulator, update complete!]
[The following content has been updated—]
[Simplified the selection steps before entering the simulator. The host no longer needs to choose keywords to select an unknown heroine but can randomly select one from the given heroines to start the simulation.]
What was once a random selection catering to his preferences had become a directed choice, which was a downgrade.
[Fixed the issue where the heroine in the simulation would retain memories in reality.]
Wait, what?
Chisato sat up in bed, carefully reading the update note three times.
This meant that in future simulations, the heroines wouldn't retain memories like Utaha and Eriri, who had tracked him down in reality.
Chisato quickly realized this but soon became skeptical.
This lousy simulator misled me once before. Who knows what trap it might have in this sentence?
Having been fooled once, he repeatedly told himself to be more cautious.
He continued reading:
[The reward pool has been further expanded. There's nothing you can't imagine that the simulator can't provide.]
I've got some good stuff here, both fun and exciting.
[Sensory awareness has been further upgraded, giving you an even more immersive experience, with excellent CG images added!]
Better sound effects, clearer images, and more colorful and unheard-of positions!.
[Intelligence has been further upgraded. The conversion between text and first-person perspective will be more intelligent, reducing the need for host consciousness operation and easing simulation pressure.]
What does it mean to be considerate!
[Freedom has been further upgraded. In certain special circumstances, the host in the first-person perspective can act freely to a certain extent based on their own will.]
Go do bold things, young man!
[For more updates, please enter the simulation to check.]
[Current remaining simulation attempts: three. Would you like to start the simulation?]
After digesting all the update content and confirming there was nothing suspicious, Chisato found a comfortable position on the bed again.
He wanted many things, and relying solely on his own efforts, many things couldn't be achieved in a short time.
Although the Evil Path Simulator had some pitfalls, if used properly, it was undoubtedly a great help. He couldn't refuse the benefits.
[Start simulation.]
[Please select the target character for this strategy from the following—]
[Kawasaki Saki, Totsuka Saika, Miura Yumiko, Ebina Hina, Isshiki Iroha.]
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