The moment Amamiya approached, the koi in the fish tank suddenly became restless, swimming frantically in circles and blowing bubbles in apparent distress.
"Manager, I'm hungry. Can I order something to eat?"
Amamiya's gaze swept past the koi and landed on the elderly store manager.
The manager nodded. "Of course."
"That koi looks adorable. I bet it would taste good," Amamiya said with a faint smile. "I'll choose that one."
"…"
As though struck by a devastating blow, the koi stopped swimming altogether, sinking lifelessly to the bottom of the tank in utter despair.
The old store manager glanced up at Amamiya and, with a calm tone, said:
"That will be 3,200 yen. If you want it, you'll have to buy it first."
"Thank you, Manager."
Amamiya thanked him politely, pulling out the tip he had received earlier to cover the payment.
Indeed, whether in the human world or the realm of ghost stories, nothing could be accomplished without money.
Fortunately, the strange dish earlier had greatly pleased Miss Sakurako, a wealthy patron. Her satisfaction had brought in a generous windfall. Otherwise, saving up enough would have taken ages.
As for resorting to force...
Amamiya glanced at the ominous "Danger" warning that floated before his eyes and promptly dismissed the thought.
Why use violence when money could resolve everything?
There was simply no need for such measures.
After settling the bill, Amamiya officially took ownership of the koi. Picking up a net beside the tank, he carefully scooped up the despairing koi fish and walked out of the store.
Sajuna hurried after him in quick, small steps, unwilling to remain alone in the store.
A cold wind swept through the air.
The sky grew darker by the minute.
As Amamiya exited the Cooking Pavilion, the koi in his hand suddenly wriggled, and within moments, a young girl appeared out of thin air.
It was none other than Chika, who had just endured the experience of living as a koi.
Quick on his feet, Amamiya deftly caught the girl in his arms.
"I've turned back?"
Chika muttered, a dazed expression in her eyes.
"Of course. Once you leave the Cooking Pavilion, the curse on the ingredients is lifted," Amamiya explained.
Realizing she had truly returned to human form, Chika's eyes welled up with tears.
The ordeal had been terrifying—her body suddenly transformed into a fish, tossed into a tank where customers could pick their meals. Had her luck been any worse, she might have ended up as sashimi.
She had waited anxiously for Amamiya to arrive, unable to speak and forced to blow bubbles to communicate. It had been a true nightmare.
"You noticed me right away, didn't you?"
Chika clung to Amamiya's neck, her voice quivering with grievance.
Amamiya nodded. "Yes, I spotted you the moment I entered the store."
"Then why did you say you were going to eat me?!"
Chika's eyes filled with fresh tears as her voice became even more pitiful.
She had clung to hope, waiting for him to save her, only for him to casually announce that he wanted to eat her.
Despair.
She felt utter despair.
"We need to come up with a more reasonable excuse," Amamiya said gently. "The store manager is still nearby. I can't just pick you up and run off."
A cold wind swept past, causing Chika to shiver involuntarily.
"Um..." Sajuna, who had followed them outside, coughed lightly and suggested, "Fujiwara-san, maybe you should put on some clothes first?"
"Especially since there might be other customers later."
"Huh?"
Chika blinked in confusion, then glanced down. The sight of her bare, snow-white skin greeted her.
"Aaaaaaaa—!"
Her face flushed a deep crimson. Panicking, she covered her chest with her hands and squatted down in embarrassment.
The joy of transforming back into a human from a koi had overwhelmed her so much that she had completely forgotten she wasn't wearing any clothes. If Sajuna hadn't pointed it out, she might not have realized at all.
"Y-You're still looking!"
Chika raised her tearful eyes to Amamiya, shouting in mortified anger.
Amamiya calmly took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders. "Do you have any spare clothes in your game inventory?"
"No..."
Chika's face turned an even brighter shade of red as she shook her head. "Only game-produced outfits can go in the inventory. But those are so rare—I haven't managed to pull any from the blind boxes."
"What about you, Sajuna?"
Amamiya turned to the magical girl.
"I'm sorry," Sajuna said apologetically, shaking her head. "I don't have anything either."
Amamiya frowned, thinking. "Then… take off your clothes—"
Before he could finish, Sajuna puffed up her cheeks and glared at him, indignant.
"Take off my clothes for her? Don't you care if I freeze to death?!"
"Don't bully JuJu-sama!" Chika squatted on the ground, clutching the coat tightly over herself. "Her clothes are too small for me anyway! Even if they weren't, I wouldn't agree to something like that!"
"Where are your clothes?" Amamiya asked instead.
"They should still be in the kitchen..." Chika bit her lip, her expression wronged as she recounted her ordeal.
After entering the strange scenario, Chika had been fortunate not to appear directly near any ghosts. She'd found herself alone in a quiet park instead.
Unfortunately, there had been no sign of the others.
Without a phone to contact anyone, she was stuck wandering the eerily silent town. The oppressive atmosphere and deathly stillness were suffocating.
"I thought it would be safest to wait in place for you to find me," Chika said, pulling the coat tighter. Her tone was laced with grievance. "But when you didn't show up, I thought you must be in trouble, so I decided to go look for you instead."
"I started with Sajuna-san," Amamiya explained. "We were trapped together in a haunted house dream."
Sajuna nodded in agreement. "That's true—I can vouch for him. The narrative started with the two of us."
Chika continued, "After I left the park, I was trying to figure out where to go when I saw two old men with gray hair heading into a food stall. They didn't look dangerous, so I followed them to ask for directions."
Her voice turned puzzled as she added, "But the moment I smelled the food, I had this uncontrollable urge to eat. It was like I couldn't stop myself."
"This isn't an ordinary restaurant," Amamiya analyzed. "It's likely some kind of mental suggestion. People who enter are compelled to order food."
"Eh?" Sajuna tilted her head curiously. "Then why wasn't I affected?"
Amamiya glanced at her and answered offhandedly, "You're an employee of the store. With so many customers to manage, do you even have time to eat?"
"…I see," Sajuna murmured, nodding in sudden understanding.
Sajuna suddenly understood.
So, calling me "Komatsu" and having me massage his legs wasn't just about teasing—it was a strategy for self-preservation.
"When I took my first bite of food, the game notified me that I had triggered a strange story," Chika began, crossing her arms. "Then I noticed there was a face on the back of the kimono woman's head. I was so terrified that I quickly hid in the bathroom. Just when I thought I was about to be discovered, I heard a commotion nearby. The narration said there was an internal conflict and that 'the ignorant girl was 'stabbed in the back'.'"
Sajuna instinctively covered her backside with her hands and shot a glare at Amamiya.
"That's right," Amamiya admitted without hesitation. "That was us."
"Eh?" Chika tilted her head in confusion. "But the narration said there was an internal conflict between you two, and there was also something about 'An uncle teaching a lesson.' What's that all about?"
"It was acting," Amamiya explained calmly, without a hint of guilt. He recounted the events matter-of-factly. "It turns out the narrator can't distinguish between truth and deception. Now, go on. What happened next?"
Chika nodded and continued.
"After the narration, the kimono woman turned and left. I didn't understand why at the time, but now it's obvious she was drawn away by the narration."
"I was scared she might come back, so I climbed out of the bathroom window to escape. But the moment I landed… I turned into a fish."
"The next thing I knew, I was in a fish tank."
"I was completely stunned. I had no idea what was going on, so I just swam around until you guys showed up at the store."
"And that's how it happened," she finished in one breath.
Sajuna immediately honed in on the critical question. "Um, why did Fujiwara-san turn into a fish?"
"A koi," Amamiya corrected, "not just any fish. And I think I have an idea why."
"Really? What is it?" Chika leaned in eagerly.
Amamiya asked, "After you finished eating, did you pay the bill?"
Chika hesitated, guilt flashing across her face. "It was a dangerous situation at the time. I was afraid the kimono woman would block the exit, so I jumped out of the window to escape…" Her voice trailed off, and she looked deeply ashamed. "Do you think… it's because I didn't pay?"
"It's highly likely," Amamiya said with a nod. "I just spent 3,200 yen to buy you back. How much was your meal?"
"Let me think…" Chika counted on her fingers before her eyes widened. "Exactly the same!"
"That's one of the restaurant's rules," Amamiya concluded. "Customers who dine and dash without paying become ingredients for the restaurant."
"So that's what happened," Chika muttered, puffing out her cheeks. "If I'd known, I would've paid before eating."
"I don't think that would've worked," Sajuna chimed in softly. "Real-world money probably doesn't work here. The money Amamiya just paid with was all old, out-of-circulation banknotes."
"Oh, that's so underhanded," Chika grumbled, pouting. Slowly, her confidence returned. "I should never have gone in to begin with."
"First, let's find your clothes," Amamiya said. "Where exactly did you jump out of the window?"
Chika glanced around at the unfamiliar, desolate town, the dimming light casting eerie shadows across the buildings. "I have no idea," she admitted confidently.
Amamiya sighed. "Let's start walking and see if we can find them."
---
The three were lucky. Within minutes, they spotted Chika's clothes lying on the grass behind the restaurant.
Under the beam of Amamiya's flashlight, the pink bear panty on her clothes looked surprisingly cute.
The garments were neatly arranged, untouched by stray animals or other disturbances.
"Turn around, quickly!"
Chika's cheeks flushed bright red as she shouted urgently.
Amamiya turned away without hesitation. "Should I wait for you inside the store?"
"No!"
Both Sajuna and Chika responded in unison.
The streets were desolate, and with nightfall approaching, not a single soul could be seen. Even if someone appeared, there was no guarantee they were human. Neither of the girls was willing to let Amamiya leave.
"Then why are you hesitating?" Amamiya asked, his tone calm. "Hurry up and get dressed."
He didn't stray far, instead stepping a few paces away and stopping. Standing vigilant, he listened to the faint rustling sounds of clothing behind him.
Sajuna held up a flashlight, illuminating the area for Chika. Since they were both girls, there was no need for Sajuna to look away.
A short while later:
"Phew~ I'm done."
Chika exhaled in relief, her voice noticeably brighter.
Amamiya turned back around to see Chika fixing a small black bow onto her bangs.
"And my black bow! I could lose other clothes, but not the black bow," she declared proudly, pinning it in place. With her hands on her hips and her chin lifted, she announced confidently, "Full resurrection achieved!"
Sajuna tilted her head curiously. "Is the bow really that important?"
Standing beside them, Amamiya replied, "That bow is Chika's true form."
"What do you mean by 'true form'?" Sajuna asked skeptically.
"It's like your magical wand," Amamiya explained. "If you lose it, you lose your qualifications as a magical girl."
"…"
With the immediate crisis of clothing resolved, Chika's attention shifted to worrying about their missing friends.
"Amamiya-kun, do you have any news about Kaguya-chan or the others?"
Amamiya shook his head. "No. I was teleported into the dungeon, and Sajuna was the only one with me."
Half the team remained unaccounted for: Kaguya, Umi, and the spy maid Hayasaka, who went by the alias Hanamori.
Chika's expression clouded with concern. "Should we go look for them?"
"Looking for someone requires a clear plan and direction," Amamiya replied with measured calm. "We don't know if Kaguya and the others are caught up in ghost stories or just wandering. The chance of finding them by sheer luck is too low. Besides, this town isn't safe."
"What about the origami airplane?" Sajuna suggested softly.
"There's only one paper airplane," Amamiya answered, shaking his head. "Kaguya and the others didn't have one."
"It'd be so much easier if we had cell phones," Chika grumbled, pursing her lips in frustration. She looked up at Amamiya, her brows furrowed. "What do we do now? We can't just sit around, can we?"
"There's no time for laziness," Amamiya said as he started walking forward. "First, we'll head back to the store and gather information."
In an unfamiliar town, knowing nothing about the area or its people, the most valuable resource was clear:
Information.
Information.
And more information.
They needed to map the town, uncover strange stories or rumors, understand taboos, and locate key places like hotels or convenience stores.
---
Back at the store, Amamiya lifted the curtain and walked inside.
"Manager, we're back," he announced.
As a specially hired chef for "ghost story" patrons, Amamiya was exempt from preparing ordinary dishes.
Chika followed closely, her demeanor cautious. Moments later, her face froze, and her eyes widened in alarm.
"That feeling is back…!" she exclaimed nervously.