Obayashi, 16 years old.
I'm a swindler.
A filthy man who cheats others to line his own pockets. That's who I am.

Come on!Today I'm going to show you the hottest scamming technique: .................. here!

The Dead Line Technique!

You've been having some trouble with your scamming lately.It's hard, isn't it?You're losing confidence.

But don't worry!
With this technique, you'll be able to fool people in a very interesting way, and your confidence will be restored in no time!
Now you're a first-rate con artist!

Hmm?But, don't you need some difficult knowledge and skills?
You think so, right?
But that's not true at all.
All you have to do is to add a certain word when you introduce a product.
It's easy for anyone to do, and it's immensely effective.
That's what the Dead Line Technique is all about!

Now, if you want to know more about it, please transfer the cash to this account. Now!Come on, hurry up!


In spite of my sinking mood, a vision of me as a brisk salesman floated in my brain and I talked endlessly about TV shopping on a sunny afternoon. It was lunchtime.

If such a TV shopping show was being broadcast on ......, I would clearly say.
'Whoever tried to pay for this technique. You're being scammed.

It's called.
The "Deadline Technique" is a way to scare people into thinking that if they don't buy now, they'll lose money. If you don't buy it now, you'll lose it.' This is a method to make people buy a product by implanting a threat into their unconscious.
To put it simply, it is a method to make people buy a product by implanting a threat into their unconscious. Limited quantity! Double on weekends! ...... Oh, that's wrong. 'Half off on weekdays', yeah. That's what it is.

Well, the most obvious one is 'Half price now! I guess.

Even if you have never paid attention to a product before, you are attracted to it when it is said to be 'half price only now'. Humans are such creatures.
Even if a product is sold at half price but is normally sold at double the price, we feel that we are getting a bargain when we are told that it is half price.

Half-price delicatessen and lunch boxes at supermarkets are often better than throwing them away. In Tokyo, it costs a lot of money to throw away food.
Even if it is not, it is very painful to throw away food.
Even if it is already rotten and inedible.

So, in order to prevent that from happening, I'm going to get rid of all this rotting food that's piled up in front of me!

I'm in the pantry of the Sunlit Pavilion.
I'm going to make a special dish using all of the food in here that's already at the end of its shelf life (......), and sell it!
Don't worry!
I'm not going to fail this time!
I have the Dead Line Technique, and best of all, my target this time is ......

Hey, Umaro!Come on!I've been waiting for you!
'Ya, Yashiro-san, ...... your face is a bit scary, isn't it?

Sensing Umaro's presence, I move from the pantry to the dining room with the speed of instantaneous movement.
I was probably going faster than the speed of sound at this time. That's how fast I moved.

All so I could meet this guy, the King of the Herons, Umaro.

'I've got a special dish for you today!You've got to try it!
'...... Because when Yashiro-san says it, it usually turns out to be a bad idea,...... Magda-tan, I'll have the daily set meal!
I'm not sure what to do.Well, don't be so hasty, listen to me. Forget about Magda for now and just look at me!
'Ya, Yashiro-san, ...... that's ...... kind of creepy .......'

I hold Umaro's shoulders and guide him to his seat.
It's a friendly skinship of physical contact.

'Ya, Yashiro-san!It's so close!It's so close!
'Don't be so rude. You and I are close, right?
'......Yashiro and Umaro............ are gross.'
'Magda-tan!I'm not sure what to do.I'm just completely involved!
'I see. That fox guy is a badass receiver. ...... memo memo memo.
I'm not sure why Regina is even here at this time!I'm not sure what to do.
'Fox people ...... shouldn't underestimate a woman's intuition.
I'm not sure what to do.

This was a very valuable and smooth conversation scene between the shy Regina and Umaro, who was too nervous to speak properly in front of a woman, but I don't care about that.
The important thing is to get Umaro to buy the product you want.


In other words, it's a set meal to save the rotting foodstuff, called 'rushing rice'!

'We came up with a new menu. We've also started a campaign so that the new menu will spread quickly.
'I wonder why ...... the more Yashiro-san stresses about it, the more it smells fishy ......'.
'Hmm ...... I wonder if I can keep that attitude when I hear these words?'
'What is it?
''Only now, half price!
'The stench has doubled!

Why?
My guess is that at this point, Umaro was like, 'Wow, half price!I'll take four of them then! At this point, Umaro was supposed to rush in and order a bowl of rice, like an idiot!

'That ...... guy, I knew it, the daily special ......'.
'It's so good!And it's only half price now!
'No, it's ......, so it's the daily special .......'
'And it's a bargain!After all, it's only half price now!
'...... Um, Mr. Yashiro?Can you listen to what I have to say?
'What?What is it?...... 'Half price for now'?
'I didn't say that!That's a hallucination!
'Oh, look closely, you've got the 'Half Price Now' phase on your face.
'What kind of phase is that?
''...... I'll be half-price at ............ when this battle is over.''
'You're not saying anything very well, even though you've suddenly started to make a small play!

You're crazy!
You're crazy!
What happened to the Dead Line Technique?
d*mn it!That TV shopping was a sham, wasn't it?
...... Oh, no. That's my brain talking. ............

'Oh!
I'm not sure. ...... What's wrong, Yashiro?
'Oops, I forgot to mention ...... ............'
'What's that?
'Actually, it's half price right now.'
'I didn't forget to tell you!In fact, that's all I've said!What's wrong with you?I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one who has a problem with this.

I can't believe ...... that someone like Umaro pointed this out to me. ............
I'm not sure what to make of this, but I'm sure it's a good idea.

In the event that you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
'It's only half price now.
'Other than that, yes!
'Well, you see, the taste and so on, well, let's see... ...... What can I say... ...... If you think too hard, you'll end up in the deep end... In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at .......
I'm not sure what to say.I'm not sure what to do.

Umaro is right.
I'm crazy.
What's wrong with me?
This isn't a technique or anything. It's just threat ...... extortion.
This is not my style. ............ But ......

'But I want to win!
'To whom?
'Me, myself!It's half-price right now, to myself!
'Yashiro-san is not half price!
'What about that guy?
'I don't know, that return?

What?Shut up, shut up!
All you have to do is eat what I tell you to eat!
If you fall for my scam, then everyone will be happy!

So, ......, I got it. I'm going to ask you to do what Yashiro-san says.
'Really?
'I've lost my patience with .......'
'Yes!I won!I won, I won!
'............ What is it?

This gushing emotion!Pleasure!A sense of accomplishment!A sense of fulfillment!Aah!


This is it!This is exactly what I've been looking for!
Ha-ha-ha!Hahahahaha!

'...... Umaro'

Magda strode past me, shouting her victory.
He then stood next to Oumalo and bowed his head.

'...... I'm sorry. It's just for today.
'Ma, Magda-tan...... Magda-tan's 'Pecori' at such close range?
'...... Yashiro, you've been tired lately. ...... Please forgive him.'
I'm sure you can.I don't mind at all!
'......Maybe it's because sales are sluggish......Magda's lack of effort......'
'No, it's not!That's right!I'll show you the proof!

As soon as he said that, Umaro pointed to the leftmost and most expensive menu on the wall.

'I'm going to have the "Sunlit Pavilion Kaiseki - Saiari" today!
'Is ...... okay?
'If this makes Yashiro-san feel better, it's a small price to pay!
'....... Good for you, Yashiro.'
'What?.................. ah,...... ah, yeah... ...well, ..................'

The flames in my heart that had been burning so high were extinguished in an instant.

...... is embarrassing!
It's not a technique, it's not a smart way of doing things. ............
I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's a good idea. ............

If I had a hole, I'd bury Umaro in it and dig another one before I went in!

'Magda......Wumalo............I'm sorry. I won't ...... do this again.'


It was a total ............ defeat for me.

'Oh, that Yashiro-san said ............ 'I'm sorry' ............'.
'...... this is a big deal.'
'Really, I'm sorry, both of you!
'Yashiro-san!Really, what's wrong with you?
'Especially you, Umaro!Sorry!I'm sorry!
'No, please don't!Please don't apologize like that!
'I'm sorry for trying to force a dish made with rotten, or almost rotten, ingredients on you!
'Did you mean to do that?
'Yes!I was going to!
'Apologize to me!Apologize to me with all your heart!
'...... Oumalo. It's just for today.'
'Hah!Magda, you're so kind!I forgive you!


The sky is high, Oumarro is happy, Regina is mindlessly scribbling something, and since Magda went back to work, there was not even a conversation. ............ I was thinking about myself a little bit.


I wonder if I ............ am not a good con artist?


What a ......