【00:01:21】

A timer?

「Is there… a time limit to the card’s use now?」

And as if it had heard my murmur, the red letters rearranged themselves and replied to me.

【Yes.】

It came as a small shock, but come to think of it… it had responded to the name “Ninth” previously on its own, and it wasn’t strange for voice recognition to be installed in an ATM. If the black card could ‘hack’ the interface completely, it wouldn’t be too difficult to hijack that function as well.

And precisely because it had done so, that ‘intent’ had become an evidence of its sentience, or the presence of another person behind the machine. I should probably just assume that its a moderately intelligent AI like Siri. In that case, learning about the black card had become surprisingly easier than I thought.

Now that I had established the fact that there was a time limit, I compiled the questions in my head and sorted out the more important ones before asking again. Asking about the reason why there is a time limit might result in a very long explanation, and so I decided against it.

「Firstly, what are you?」

The entity paused for a short moment, before quickly replying to my question. From the way the words were forming indecisively on the screen, it seemed as if the entity was finding it a hard time to answer me. As expected, when it finally finished completing a reply, all I got was an ambiguous answer.

【Error. Unable to answer due to a lack of information.】

It doesn’t know what it is? I guess it wasn’t so easy to find out who X is. I decided to try a different way of asking.

「How do you possess so much money?」

【Error. Insufficient information.】

…

「Can I really use the money inside?」

The answer came swiftly this time.

【Affirmative. Money encrypted within this card does not have any problems with its use. Current balance is $[999,999,994,802.75]. [Recognition] has confirmed owner:〘Ninth〙, and authority for use had been granted.】

The entity had also given me some peculiar information.

Encrypted… Recognition.. Authority….

Those keywords gave me a very strong impression that the money was actually legitimate. Speaking of which, the card seemed to have worked without a chip. If it functioned differently from an ordinary bank card, to what extent was the range of its ‘use’?

「How does the card work?」

【Error. Insufficient information.】

It ended up giving me a blank again.

Before I knew it, the time limit was almost up. Thinking that it was about time, I requested a withdrawal.

Beep.

The middle compartment of the ATM opened after counting the money, and I retrieved $10,000 this time. Stacks of new and warm $50 rested in my hands, which I quickly stuffed into my bag.

【00:00:06】

As the timer slowly reached zero, I suddenly thought of something I wanted to ask the entity again.

「...Was there a previous user who owned this card?」

【Affirmative. There i-----】

【00:00:00】

However, the time limit was reached before the sentence was completed.

Psshhaa-----The screen blacked out before I got to see the end of that sentence. A small amount of steam emitted from the card slot, and the black card slid out seamlessly.

I guess it wasn’t really an important question.

After learning my lesson from last time, I put on a pair of gloves and retrieved the card properly.

---?! I felt a sting on my finger suddenly, followed by the pulsating pain of a migraine. When I had faintly taken a look at my hand, it didn't seem like there were any pricks. Perhaps I was just tired... Pressing down on my temple for a few seconds, that strange headache eventually subsided.

By the time I returned the card into my bag, the ATM screen had already returned to normal.

...

I left the terminal and entered a washroom to change into spare clothes that I had prepared earlier. After discarding my previous wardrobe into the bin, I walked around for a bit longer before settling myself near an accommodation district.

Kito-aka was a prefecture I had frequented when I was still in high school, so I had properly memorized the streets here. Some of the familiar sights here had been replaced with new shops and buildings, but the roads were still the same.

Cutting a few corners and alleyways, I eventually stood before a white door framed with bevelled clear glass. There weren’t many people around here as it was a rather secluded street, so the bistro exterior of the store seemed to create a very antique atmosphere from the contrast. The flowers and potted plants besides the flight of brick steps were well-maintained, and a bell was hung overhead at the entrance.

I turned the knob and gently pushed the door open.

Clink--- Clink---- The pleasant chime of the bell jingled above me. I followed a corridor that led to the interior where flashy yellow lights illuminated the wood flooring and walls around. Inside the store was decor with furniture of a classy pub. It didn’t take long before I heard the sound of footsteps coming towards me from a corner.

『Why did you come again, I already told you nobody came here---- Ah.』

The girl who showed up before me, widened her eyes in surprise. Her words had stopped the moment she had recognized who I was, and the broom in her hands had fallen to the ground.

「...Are you okay?」

I picked up the broom and leaned it against a wall.

『...』

「...Bailey-san?」

『A-Ah, right! S-Sorry about that, I thought you were someone else...』

Why was she acting so nervous around me? This girl feels like a different person from the last time I saw her.

「It’s already closing hours anyway, I’m actually sorry instead for barging in this late.」

『No biggie… I-I was just cleaning up...』

I smiled awkwardly while she was losing her composure before me.

Bailey Allard, was an old acquaintance I had made in this inn while I was working part-time here a few years ago. Dressed in the store’s french maid dress, Bailey’s shoulder-length hair shimmered blonde under the string of honeybee lights overhead. Her bright blue eyes which hid under the partings of her fringe also implied that she was a Westerner. Indeed, Bailey was of a mixed-race just two years younger than me. She had migrated here at a young age because of her mother’s job. Be that as it may, her pronunciation didn’t sound any different from the locals after living here for most of her life.

Bailey still seemed rather stiff and suddenly started to stammer as she held the hems of her dress, her face covered with a flustered expression.

『U-Uuhm!! P-Please excuse me for a second! Make yourself at home, ...I-I’ll be right back!』

As Bailey escaped into a changing room nervously, I took the time to move my shoes into cabinet near the entrance.

The store had three storeys. The first floor was a wide open bar-area with a long marble table curved in a semicircle like those in a sushi restaurant, forming the counter. As the store was mainly an inn business, the second floor onwards were empty rooms for guests to stay in.

I understood all this because I had worked here as a part-time receptionist before. Times were rough when I was still studying in high school, and I had to work multiple jobs to make ends meet. Thanks to that, I got to know many people in this prefecture like Bailey.

After sitting near the counter for a few minutes, the girl finally returned. Hmm? Did she change her clothes? There’s a flowery fragrance laced around her body…

I then noticed the guitar case she was carrying behind her back. From the familiar stickers and badges adorned on the case, a feeling of nostalgia came to me.

『S-Sorry for making you wait… I just wanted to show you something.』

The girl expressed in between breaths, as she unzipped the case and took out an acoustic guitar covered in small scratches.

「That is...」

...It’s been many years, but I could still recognize those small scratches around it. After all, it used to belong to me, and I had given it to Bailey as a farewell gift.

After taking a seat beside me, Bailey leaned against the counter and started tuning the guitar.

『...Un, I know we haven’t seen each other in a long time. But first, ...please take a listen..』

With a forced smile, I replied.

「...I’m all ears.」

『Then---- A one… a two, a one, two three four---』

---𝄞𝆕𝆹𝅥𝅮♫𝅗𝅥

『...Hum… mmmm~』

As Bailey started strumming the guitar strings with a pick, a soft melodious chord resounded in the bar.

『...Hey there Delilah~ Don’t you worry about the distance...』

Her smooth, mellow voice melted into the song lyrics, and it suddenly made me remember many things again.. That’s right… we made a promise...

『... ...A thousand miles seems so far away~ 』

『But they’ve got planes and trains and cars~』

「...Bailey...」

When I saw some of the light scars on her fingers, I understood then.

She had been practising the guitar I had given her, for a long time ever since I’ve left.

『If every simple song I wrote to you would take your breath away~』

『I’d write it all~』

All because she loved the tunes and emotion of music that I showed her, and now she was returning the favor when we met. I could almost feel like I had returned to the days where I played music with a passion. The song that she plays had the meaning of longing and nostalgia, a feeling that probably both of us shared.

My parents have passed away while I was still little, and it had only been just me and my little sister for a very long time. Perhaps humans become sentimental as they age.

『I know times are gettin’ hard, but just believe me boy~』

Everyone continues to move on in this world, changing and maturing… Yet still wanting to linger in the memories of youth, where everything was simpler… But as we grow older, indifference seeps into our lives and we slowly lose touch with ourselves, and the people around us.

But Bailey had still remembered that promise. That she would learn how to play the guitar properly when I came to visit again. It had already been so many years, but still she kept at it all this time. In the pursuit of money, I on the other hand----

(What good are these papers, there are plenty on the roadside that make these papers!)

I guess those words still bugged me after all. As I got tired from everything that had happened tonight, perhaps the frustration had returned.

… …

『Whatchu’ do to me… whatchu’ do to me~』

--𝄞𝅗𝅥𝆹𝅥𝅮~

The song eventually ended. But both of us had our eyes closed in silence, lingering in the afterglow of the melancholic tune.

When we finally came to, Bailey turned to me and smiled.

『How was it?』

「...It was great.」

『Then, then… I have another one… Here---』

After that, the two of us caught up with each other while playing simple tunes. We took turns with the guitar like this, and soon an hour passed by unknowingly.

Feeling the lethargy settling down unto me, I was coaxed to close my eyes under the guidance of a mellifluous lullaby. Bailey moved my head down to her lap and I silently accepted her. I felt the subtle stroke of her fingers as she looked down at my face, brushing past my hair gently… ...

『...Just close your eyes and rest. You can sleep here for tonight.』

To that suggestion, I gratefully accepted. Before long, I finally fell into a deep slumber.

When I opened my eyes to the sunlight, I realized that I had already been brought upstairs to a guest room. When I took out the phone in my pocket, the time displayed there was 9.34am. There were no lessons scheduled for today, so I wasn’t in any hurry to leave. My bag was left against the wall, and there was a note beside the bed.

“Come visit again.

~Bailey”

There was also a hot cappuccino packed in a thermos flask on the table, which I gratefully accepted. After a day’s rest, I felt much better. I packed my belongings and went downstairs.

Bailey was no longer around, and the usual innkeeper who was an old lady nodded when she saw me. I returned the gesture silently and passed her a note to give Bailey later if she wakes up. There was my contact information this time, and I knew that she would understand what I meant by that.

Leaving the inn, I faced the sun and stretched out my arms lazily. I hadn’t taken more than two steps, before my phone rang.

The caller ID was from an unknown number. Thinking that it was from Bailey, I answered the phone.

「Hello?」

Silence ensued for a few seconds… and soon I started to doubt if it was actually Bailey who called.

「Hello? Who’s calling, is anyone on the line? H-」

『---Tsukasa Yato.』

----!!!!

A voice as cold as ice, permeated through my body when my name was called through the phone.

「...Wh-who is this…!」

The voice no longer spoke, but I could still hear breathing on the other end so I knew that person was still listening. I felt an ominous feeling… a strange, unsettling feeling that this was probably connected to X. Was it really X, had they tracked me down already? So quickly?! The suspense made me hold my breath unconsciously.

It didn’t take long to get my answer. In the next moment, the words that followed didn’t come from the phone. Instead, that chilling voice----

『---Found you.』

----came from right behind me.