The ghost of the mirror.
Kaguya's super nightmare.
The greedy snakes, pig-headed butchers, vengeful teachers, and all kinds of twisted evil spirits they encountered before are not as scary as the mirror ghost.
Being dragged into the mirror world alone and having one's memory erased is truly the stuff of nightmares.
So much so that, as soon as she approached the ward's door, Kaguya's face went pale.
"Kaguya-chan, Amamiya-kun and I can handle this," Chika whispered gently. "You can wait for us outside."
The combined skill they needed required two people to activate, so Amamiya and Chika had no choice but to go inside.
"Forget it." Kaguya bit her lower lip, her teeth gleaming like pearls. "Let's abandon the fragments in this ward."
Choosing to give up the side quest and hide in their room until the game ended was a safer option.
And, with her current "roommate" relationship with Miss Sadako being at a friendly level, Kaguya didn't feel any immediate danger lurking around.
"No." Chika shook her head resolutely. "If we give up, we won't be able to collect all the fragments. I'm a collector at heart, and missing even one piece would drive me crazy."
"But..."
"Don't worry," Chika reassured, raising her head with confidence. "I know what you're afraid of, Kaguya-chan. Even if Amamiya-kun gets mimicked, I'll definitely recognize the real him."
Where does she get that confidence from?
She barely knows Amamiya that well!
"And if I get mimicked?" Chika continued. "Amamiya would recognize me too, right?"
"I'm sorry," Amamiya replied, expressionless. "I wouldn't be able to recognize you."
"Huh?"
Amamiya sighed and quipped, "Fujiwara-san, you're like a god. How can a mere human like me understand the thoughts of a divine being?"
"That's so mean!" Chika pouted, cheeks puffing. "Are you complimenting or insulting me? Oh, wait!"
Suddenly, Chika's eyes lit up as she slapped her forehead. "I've got an idea! If we use a little prop, even if we get mimicked, we'll still be able to recognize each other."
"What kind of prop?"
"The red string!" Chika urged excitedly. "Amamiya-kun, hurry and take out that red string."
Amamiya recalled the red rope he had obtained from a previous trade and pulled it out.
[Item: Red String]
[Material: Unknown]
[How to use: Both parties tie the red string to the same finger. When one moves their finger, the other's finger will move in sync.]
[Special Effects: Inactive]
[Note: Please use with caution. Not for use with figurines, pillows, silicone [beep—], cats, pigeons, or other creatures. Humans cannot—or should not—use this with them.]
Reading the note again, Amamiya's expression turned subtle.
Tying it to a figurine makes sense, but a pillow doesn't even have fingers—how would that work?
Tying it to a cat sounds reasonable, but what's up with the pigeon?
"Amamiya-kun," Chika asked, "which finger should we tie it to?"
"Hmm..." Amamiya hesitated for a moment. "The pinky finger."
Of all human fingers, the pinky serves the least function. For instance, when members of the Yakuza are punished, they typically have their pinky severed.
"Okay, pinky it is." Chika extended her little finger. Turning to Kaguya, she said, "Kaguya-chan, help me tie the string."
"…"
Kaguya wanted to refuse, but she couldn't find a reason to.
It's just an ordinary red string meant to link their fingers—what reason did she have to reject that?
Reluctantly biting her lower lip, Kaguya took the red rope and tied it around Chika's pinky.
"I'll tie Amamiya-kun's," Chika volunteered, stepping up to secure the string around his finger.
In the next instant, the red rope connecting their fingers vanished.
"Huh? The string disappeared?" Chika's eyes widened as she quickly checked around.
Suddenly, Amamiya felt his pinky moving involuntarily. Lifting his hand, he watched as his finger wiggled in front of him.
"Your finger is moving on its own!" Chika exclaimed in awe, watching his pinky squirm. "This is incredible—it actually works!"
"Enough playing around," Amamiya said, clenching his fist and stopping his pinky from moving. "Let's head into the ward."
Chika stopped fidgeting and nodded. "Kaguya-chan, wait here for us."
"…"
They entered the ward.
It was just as dim and cold as before, with the air thick with an eerie chill.
The room was empty, the vengeful spirit nowhere to be seen. The bronze mirror still sat on the table, just as they had left it.
"The ghost isn't here," Chika whispered, moving closer to Amamiya, her voice barely audible. "Amamiya-kun, do you think it's still in the mirror?"
"Probably." Amamiya nodded slightly, lifting the mirror. "Look into it for ten seconds. Don't blink."
"Okay."
Chika clenched her fists, preparing herself.
The mirror was small, forcing her to get as close to Amamiya as possible, their arms now pressed together.
Amamiya inhaled softly, catching the scent of milk, cake, and flowers emanating from the innocent girl beside him—a pleasant and soothing aroma.
After a few seconds of silence, Amamiya felt a wave of dizziness.
"Ugh, I'm feeling dizzy…" Chika's voice wavered as she clung to Amamiya's arm for stability.
At that moment, a dark, eerie voice echoed in their ears.
"Why... why did you choose her and not me?"
Chika glanced in the direction of the voice. "Kaguya-chan?"
"You're overthinking it," Amamiya replied, gripping her hand tightly. "Shinomiya-san is outside in the hallway, waiting for us."
The girl in front of them only looked like Kaguya—she was actually the vengeful spirit.
Amamiya had expected the mirror demon to reveal its true form, but it continued to mimic Kaguya's appearance.
And then...
Kaguya, or rather the spirit that looked like her, stepped out from a dark corner. Her head was tilted, her pale face streaked with blood. In her hand, she held a utility knife, its tip dripping with blood. Her once-bright burgundy eyes were now clouded, dull, and lifeless.
"…Kaguya-chan is terrifying."
Chika's whole body trembled as she felt like a helpless rabbit that had wandered into a wolf's den. She didn't dare move.
Amamiya was also beginning to panic.
Is this what they call "darkening"?
So, beneath that cold, expressionless exterior, there's not only a silly side to her but also a hidden 'yandere' waiting to emerge!
"We are exactly the same, why did you choose her and not me?"
The yandere Kaguya tilted her head and looked over, her eyes fell on Amamiya's face, and her voice sounded like the whisper of a devil.
"Why did you leave me alone and run away?"
"Because I'm not a good kid?"
"The child who runs away must be punished. I'll dig out one of your eyes... Hehehe, what a cute expression."