Chapter 4

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The memory of Elizabeth working in a country called Japan――――.

The memory of Sawatani Yuka.

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It was a small room in an office building.

One of the countless mixed-use buildings in the city, it was narrow, old, and slightly tilted. With nine desks, a locker, and a copier, there was no more space left.

Therefore, my desk was always cluttered with documents. No matter how much I tidied up, the next load of items would be placed there. Flyers, documents, and pamphlets, with no place to go, would take over.

However, I thought it didn't matter at the time.

As long as I had enthusiasm, the location didn't matter for doing good work.

In the memory of her previous life, Elizabeth was a 24-year-old event planner named Yuka Sawatani.

She tied her black hair back and put on a white shirt and a black suit.

"Got to work hard today..."

With determination, she would ride the train to the company every day. There were many people like her in the train, so she didn't feel alone.

"Good morning."

When she opened the door to Dream Fan Corporation, she greeted everyone energetically. A few people who were already in the office responded weakly, and some just raised their hands. It seemed they had been working all night, not just arriving early. Normally, she would show concern for the seniors who were overwhelmed by work, but she didn't have the time.

She was also being chased by work...

――――First, I'll start with clearing my emails.

Sitting at her desk, she turned on her computer and opened the email client. Dozens of emails flooded in, one after another. Just looking at them made her back shiver, or maybe it was just her imagination.

――――No use just staring. I have to face them.

She steeled herself and began processing the incoming emails. Ordering materials, arranging advertisements, securing part-time workers, applying for permits from local governments... and dealing with troubles that occurred almost daily. Due to the early employment system, she had been helping out before officially joining the company, so by the time she officially started, she could handle most tasks independently.

At least, she had accumulated a lot of experience.

And fatigue...

At least, she wanted a little more rest.

Playing a dating sim game for a short time before bed was her only hobby and pleasure. She had chosen to work at an event company with the hope of someday being involved in the production of dating sim games. She wanted to plan one herself, but to do that, she had to clear the mountain of work in front of her. The wall was... incredibly high and grew taller every day.

"Hello! This is Dream Fan Corporation."

Yuka, who was focused on replying to emails, hurriedly answered the phone. It was from a client.

"Thank you for your continued support. What? The event space is insufficient? I'm very sorry. I'll head over immediately."

Recently, the sound of the phone ringing was scary. Most of the time, it was to inform her of a problem.

Dream Fan Corporation's business covered a wide range of events. Not just exhibitions, product launches, experience events, and parties, but also larger events like mini-concerts and sports events. However, with only a few employees, problems were inevitable. Today, as usual, a complaint call from a client came in, and she had to go to the site directly. It was faster to go in person than to discuss over the phone.

"I'm heading out! I'll be back after 7 PM."

She quickly changed from her indoor slippers to the pumps under her desk and left the office. Although the world had trains, taxis, and airplanes, the site of today's problem was far away. It would take several hours to get there, so she wouldn't return until the evening. When she stepped outside, the sun was already shining brightly. She glanced back, and the small sign of Dream Fan Corporation caught her eye.

～From important presentations to happy birthday parties～

"Dream Fan Corporation"

"Happy... birthday party..."

The job of making customers smile had never come her way. Most of her work came from corporate clients, not individuals.

Perhaps because she realized this, or because she couldn't endure the harshness of the job, probably the latter, her colleagues quit one after another. No new junior staff were hired. She was enthusiastic and worked hard, but a company with only nine employees was indeed... a black company.

No matter how hard she tried to finish her work for the day, she always returned home late at night. No matter how late it was, Yuka always took a bath to relax and relieve her fatigue.

"Desk, chairs, and projector arranged. Tea and lunch boxes in the afternoon... check, done."

She muttered to herself while soaking in the hot water. The bath helped clear her mind and relax her body, making it perfect for checking the next day's tasks. Soaking in the hot water was one of Yuka's few luxuries.

"Phew... shall I start?"

She raised her body, which was submerged up to her neck, and reached for the waterproof case on the bath mat. It contained a rectangular game console, a transparent plastic bag with a string, similar to a smartphone case, which allowed her to play in the bath without the screen being too obscured. The dating sim game was Yuka's small pleasure before going to bed.

"Let's see, where was I?"

She slid the power bar, and the title screen appeared.

"Princess Life ~ Dawn's Confession ~"

A dating sim game Yuka had been hooked on for a long time.

Shortened to "Pri-Dawn," it was a very popular game.

The stage was set in the central part of the Dacreston continent, in the Kingdom of Moire. The protagonist, Rosetta, is the hidden daughter of the King of Moire. One day, she is brought to the palace. The King, who only has sons, dotes on his new daughter. However, surrounding countries, wanting to form alliances with the Kingdom of Moire, propose political marriages, and Rosetta must balance the country's interests and her romantic relationships as the story progresses.

There are choices to make during the story, and depending on these choices, there are five different marriage endings with the princes and princes of various countries. Despite being an all-ages game, a distinctive feature is the "dawn" conversation scene that occurs after the final event, indicating that the characters have spent the night together.

"Right, yesterday... it was a bad ending."

As she tried to select the save data to continue from, Yuka remembered her progress from the previous day.

She had made a wrong choice, and due to the interference of the antagonist, Elizabeth, who was hostile towards Rosetta, the country went to war. Moreover, it was with the country of the prince she was trying to pursue, leading to an immediate bad ending. The game was known for its difficulty, and Yuka had only seen two out of the five marriage endings.

――――Partly because I play it slowly before going to bed.

On social media and blogs, she often saw people claiming to have completed all the endings, but for Yuka, who was busy with work, it would take a long time.

――――Someday, I want to be involved in a Pri-Dawn event...

But if she couldn't even see all the marriage endings, it was a pipe dream. However, at her current pace, she didn't know when she would achieve it.

I want a little more rest. I need some breathing room.

Tomorrow, there would be a mountain of tasks to start from the morning.

"It's fulfilling... I'm sure."

She muttered to herself, trying to encourage herself, but it felt weak. This state had been going on for a long time, and she couldn't even lie to herself anymore.

"Ah!"

Suddenly, she remembered something about work and was startled.

"I didn't put the CEO's signed T-shirt in the souvenir set... How many do I need for tomorrow morning? Grr..."

Without even selecting a save point to reload, Yuka put the game console back on the bath mat. More tasks piled up for the next day. What time would she wake up?

This time, she submerged her body up to her mouth in the hot water.

"Is everything else okay? I made the document prohibiting photography and recording, and then, and then..."

Each task she remembered made her anxious. She thought about whether anything was missing.

Her face sank into the water, and her body felt incredibly heavy.

――――Wait? Why am I not sinking?

The bathtub was small and shallow, yet Yuka felt like she was falling endlessly, slowly sinking to the bottom.

――――What is this...?

Her eyelids grew heavy, and her consciousness began to fade. However, it didn't hurt or feel uncomfortable; it felt good. She knew she shouldn't let her consciousness be taken by this feeling, but she couldn't resist.

――――Maybe I'm just... too tired...

Bubbles of air rose from her mouth to the surface. This was the last memory of Yuka Sawatani, probably the end of her first life.

★2021/4/2 New work has started. Please read it if you like.

【Failed to Reincarnate as the Villainess and Became the Heroine Instead ～Giving Up on the Family Ending with the Villainess's Brother and Aiming for the Lover Ending～】

https://ncode.syosetu.com/n7332gw/