"There's something wrong with this ward."
Amamiya and Kaguya exchanged glances, silently acknowledging the strangeness of the situation.
While everyone else was sharing couple's rooms, this one ghost was isolated in a single suite. Why was there a lone individual in this setup? Clearly, something was off.
"Let's continue," Kaguya suggested, extending a slender finger and writing down some notes. "Ideally, we should locate the patient's specific medical record."
Amamiya gave a slight nod. "Understood."
Since they didn't know the details of the patient in the last ward, Amamiya and Kaguya had no choice but to search through the records one by one, eliminating known patients through a process of deduction.
A few moments later, Amamiya's eyes lit up. "Found it."
He pulled a paper medical record card from the file and signaled Kaguya with a glance. "Let's retreat."
With the record in hand, the two quietly made their way back from the duty desk, while the inattentive nurse continued her daydreaming.
"You're back!" Chika let out a breath of relief. "Maybe we should've just arrested that nurse."
Though capturing her wouldn't be too difficult, the nurse wasn't the real issue. The problem was that while other spirits were confined to their wards, the nurse had no such restrictions. If she decided to follow them into the corridor, it was uncertain what might happen.
"Fujiwara-san, please get stronger soon," Amamiya said playfully. "Once you can rename everyone in the world as Don, we'll be unstoppable."
"That's impossible!" Chika protested, flustered. "No matter how hard you try, it'll never happen."
"If you don't have dreams, how are you any different from a salted fish?" Amamiya teased.
"That's just a wild fantasy."
Kaguya folded her arms and cut in, "The corridor will be dark again soon. Let's head back to the ward."
Feeling slightly guilty for his earlier antics with the cow lady, Amamiya led the group back to his room.
At some point, Miss Sadako had crawled out again, now standing silently in the corner, her head hanging low as if in fear. The sight made all the girls freeze in place, unsure of what to do.
Amamiya, however, didn't seem the least bit unsettled. He casually waved. "Ms. Sadako, we're back."
Sadako's long black hair trembled slightly in response to his voice. Without uttering a word, she turned around and began to retreat into the TV again. Unfortunately, due to her large chest, she got stuck once more, halfway through her escape.
"Amamiya-kun, aren't you scared?" Chika asked, curious.
"Of course I'm scared," he replied honestly.
"You're lying. You were just smiling."
That's because you haven't seen her real face, Amamiya thought to himself. One day, I'll part her hair and show you, and you won't be afraid anymore.
In truth, underneath her ghostly appearance, Sadako had a soft, almost gentle expression, with a teardrop mole near her eye. Apart from her pale complexion, she resembled an ideal wife in every other way.
After retreating into the TV, Sadako disappeared back into her well, leaving the group to settle on the bed.
Amamiya retrieved the medical record card and passed it around.
"Sakurai?" Chika blinked in surprise. "Besides the name, is there anything else we can read?"
The name seemed far too ordinary, especially among these otherworldly spirits.
"It's the devil's writing," declared Rikka, adjusting her eyepatch dramatically. "When my dad was hospitalized, the doctor wrote in the same alien script. I couldn't recognize a single word."
"Kaguya-chan, can you read it?" Chika turned to the team's intellectual leader, the brilliant Kaguya.
Kaguya remained silent for a moment. She had to admit, "I'm sorry... I can't."
Despite her impressive linguistic skills, even mastering eight languages, the medical scribbles on the record were indecipherable.
"It's not unusual for non-professionals to be unable to read it," Amamiya reassured them. "Once the corridor lights up, we can ask other players if anyone can decipher this."
"Actually..." Asuya raised her hand timidly. "I might be able to understand some of it."
The group turned toward her in surprise.
"My father runs a small clinic," Asuya explained, somewhat embarrassed. "I've seen him write medical records before, and the handwriting is similar. I can probably figure out a little."
"Why do doctors always write so messily?" Chika wondered.
"I asked my dad that when I was younger," Asuya replied softly. "He told me medical records are mainly for doctors and nurses. Most patients don't even read their own prescriptions."
Kaguya handed her the card. "We're counting on you."
Asuya took a deep breath and began to translate the foreign script on the card.
The patient, a girl named Sakurai, suffered from a severe congenital condition that affected her mobility. She was under constant care in the hospital, undergoing conservative treatment. However, her condition was deteriorating.
"I don't know the exact name of her illness," Kujo admitted, "and there are medication details on the back, but I can't read those either."
"That's more than enough," Kaguya said, rubbing her temples thoughtfully. "We can figure out the rest from here."
Chika suddenly spoke up, her expression curious.
"By the way, does it feel like the periods of darkness are getting longer?"
Amamiya gave a slight nod. "Yeah, that's true. But I'm not sure what it means."
The conversation paused for a moment as the lights flickered back on.
With renewed purpose, Amamiya and the girls left the room and headed down the corridor toward the ward where the lone girl resided.
"No luck," Amamiya said after attempting to push the door. He shook his head, frustration flickering in his eyes. "It's locked."
"Where could the key be…" Chika rested her chin on her hand, thinking. Suddenly, her eyes brightened. "Wait! Could it be that fragment we got from Miss Cow?"
"It's a common trick in games," Chika explained confidently. "Fragments often combine to form a key in the end."
"It's worth a shot," Amamiya agreed. "Better to try than sit around doing nothing."
"All right, Amamiya-kun!" Chika pointed dramatically. "Let's start by testing it on Ward 401."
It took only a moment for Amamiya to remember the occupant of Ward 401.
Miss Succubus.
With a mix of curiosity and caution, Amamiya pushed open the door. Inside, he saw a girl huddled in the corner, eyes wide with fear and tears streaming down her cheeks. Across from her stood a black-skinned succubus, complete with wings and a tail.
The succubus turned, her eyes lighting up as soon as they landed on Amamiya.
"A man!"
"Perfect timing!" the succubus exclaimed, her voice dripping with excitement. "Come closer and help me replenish my magic!"