I felt suffocated.
Staring at the poster, it felt as though my vision was spinning.
If I was uncertain before, I was certain of it now.
This poster...
No, this gate.
It was the conductor setting up the stage for me.
For the moment that I played my 'perfect' piece. The one that I promised I'd play.
Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!
My heart felt like it was racing at a speed it had never raced before as warm droplets streaked down the side of my face.
I could feel my very own breathing growing heavier and heavier by the second.
And yet—
The only thing I could do was force down all the negative feelings.
I couldn't allow myself to crumble.
Not here.
"There's also a date printed near the bottom of the poster. We couldn't make it out clearly, but it seems to indicate something scheduled for one month and ten days from now."
I called up the system and checked the quest date.
Exactly the same...
"H-ha."
