Second Floor.
Bedroom.
"Hurry up and lie down," Miko said, pointing to the floor. "Finish quickly and go downstairs to sleep. I have to head back tomorrow morning."
"It's exhausting, running around all the time," Amamiya replied, lying down on the floor. "Should I try convincing Aunt to let you stay in my house?"
Miko folded her arms across her chest, looking down at him with skepticism.
"And just how do you plan to convince my mom?"
"Hmm... I've got it," Amamiya replied confidently. "'Auntie, you wouldn't want Miko's grades to keep getting worse and worse, would you?'"
Miko raised her right foot and gently pressed it into his back, her voice annoyed.
"She'd never fall for that."
"Maybe not for just anyone," Amamiya replied, unshaken. "But for me, I'd say it's at least a fifty-fifty chance."
"...You're dreaming!"
Miko stepped forward with her other foot, increasing the pressure on his back as though "charging" up some energy.
It had to be said: practice really does make perfect.
The first time Miko had stepped on his back, she had been hesitant and unsteady, trembling as though she might fall at any moment. But now, her movements were fluid and precise, with just the right balance of strength and technique. She had become, so to speak, an experienced driver.
---
A moment later.
After "charging" was complete, Amamiya sat up, stretching lazily as he began putting his shirt back on.
"I'll go downstairs and make the bed—"
Miko, sounding fatigued, sighed and prepared to follow him. But just as her gaze wandered to the window, her body stiffened. Her black hair seemed to bristle slightly as she bit her lower lip.
Without warning, she stepped forward, gently grasped Amamiya's shirt collar, and pulled him closer. Her face was suddenly very near his, her expression unreadable.
"Huh?"
Startled, Amamiya instinctively placed his hand on her slender waist. The faint scent of milk and lemon shampoo wafted up to his nose.
Miko's eyes widened in shock, and her cheeks immediately flushed a deep red. She leaned closer to his ear and whispered, her voice urgent:
"I'm not asking you to hug me. Hug me from behind! Look at the window!"
Amamiya blinked and glanced behind him. Sure enough, the curtains hadn't been drawn tightly. Through a narrow gap no bigger than a palm, a pale childlike face floated just outside, peering into the room.
This was the second floor. No child could possibly climb up there to play a prank.
No need to think too hard—this was 100% an evil spirit.
Without hesitation, Amamiya activated his spirit-repelling halo. Invisible waves of energy pulsed outward, and the peeping evil spirit quickly went up in flames, vanishing entirely.
"Why couldn't you just say it out loud?" Amamiya asked in exasperation. "For a second, I thought you were trying to sneak attack me."
Miko frowned, her tone defensive. "What if I develop a habit of saying things out loud, and one day they hear me? That'd be a disaster!"
Her explanation was reasonable enough, but as she finished speaking, she suddenly realized something was off.
The evil spirit outside the window had already been dealt with, yet Amamiya showed no intention of letting her go. In fact, his grip around her waist was only growing tighter.
"…"
The air between them grew still, thick with unspoken tension.
In the silence, their heartbeats sounded impossibly loud.
Miko's eyelashes trembled slightly. She held her breath, her body tense with nervous energy, even as warmth crept steadily up her cheeks.
Should I move away?
Why... Why isn't my body listening to me?!
The heat of his breath brushed against her face, making her head spin. Almost instinctively, she found her eyes fluttering shut.
A moment later.
"You taste like lychee," Amamiya remarked matter-of-factly.
"I haven't brushed my teeth yet! Of course, it tastes like lychee!"
Miko's face turned scarlet, her expression a mix of embarrassment and indignation. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she raised her hand to cover her lips, then spun on her heel and bolted from the room.
After heading downstairs,
Miko had shifted into a lazy state and successfully deceived Shimizu. She hid in the bathroom, washing her face and brushing her teeth.
When she emerged, Amamiya had already prepared the tatami.
Miko glanced at him and quietly pulled her quilt a little farther away.
Keep your distance!
If something happened during the night, it would be disastrous. Sure, Amamiya might stop if she resisted... but that wasn't guaranteed. After all, comics always said that once a boy enters that state, his rationality drops by 99%, turning him into a beast.
"Why are you sleeping so far away?" Amamiya asked in a low voice.
Miko glanced at Shimizu, who was playing with her phone on the sofa. Her face flushed, and she whispered back, "What do you think?"
"I just couldn't help myself earlier. I won't mess with you again tonight," Amamiya promised. "If you go crying to your mom, she'll be furious—and honestly, that scares me."
"I'm not a kid. Who would go crying to their mom?" Miko muttered in frustration. "Anyway, go brush your teeth already. It's past eleven. Time for bed."
"..."
That night passed without further incident.
The next morning, at 6 a.m.
Miko woke to the sound of her phone alarm.
Although the sun hadn't yet risen completely, the sky was already lightening. Spotting Amamiya lying obediently on his side of the tatami, Miko let out a relieved sigh.
"You could stay a bit longer," Amamiya murmured, opening his eyes.
"No," Miko shook her head. "My mom gets up early. If I linger, she'll catch me for sure."
Tucking her hair behind her ear, Miko gently folded the quilt. "You go back to sleep. I'm heading home."
---
By 10 a.m.,
Amamiya was already awake, playing the game Umi had given him the night before, when the doorbell suddenly rang.
He walked over and opened the door to find a blonde girl with her hair tied in a side ponytail.
"Good morning, senpai."
The girl's clear, cheerful voice rang out in the bright sunlight—it was the spy maid, Hayasaka.
Since Kaguya wasn't around, there was no need to keep up the act. Hayasaka had ditched her glasses and undone her braids, opting for a blue-and-white sailor uniform. A touch of light makeup brightened her already pretty face, complemented by cherry-colored lip gloss.
Before leaving home that morning, Hayasaka had glanced at herself in the mirror and thought:
Male killer.
There isn't a man in the world I can't conquer!
That's the confidence of a love master and an all-round maid!
"Why are you here?" Amamiya asked curiously. "Don't you have work today?"
"Even I need a day off sometimes," Hayasaka replied, tilting her chin slightly. "Now, hurry up and let me in—it's scorching out here!"
Amamiya opened the door, grumbling, "My idea of a day off is lying around at home with a fan, drinking Coke, and playing games. Your persistence is why you're here bothering me."
"I woke up early and couldn't fall back asleep," Hayasaka explained as she stepped into the entryway. "Although you haven't confessed, and I can't give you the special reward yet, I still brought you a gift... here, senpai!"
The spy maid presented her offering with both hands: "I made these desserts myself this morning. Please enjoy them!"
"Thanks for the effort," Amamiya said, accepting the box. "I'm sure they're great."
"Don't just assume! Try them first and give me your feedback!"
"..."
Settling onto the sofa, Hayasaka reached out to pet the Akita Inu curled up nearby, its head tilted adorably. "Senpai, what rewards did you get for clearing the dungeon last night?"
Not long after completing the game, the rewards had been distributed. However, at the time, Amamiya was having dinner with Umi and Sajuna and hadn't checked. It wasn't until later, after returning home and taking a bath, that he looked at the settlement.
The basic rewards included game coins and attribute boosts—standard items that everyone received, with a guaranteed minimum. Of course, higher final scores resulted in greater rewards.
Additionally, there were various achievements unlocked during the game. Each achievement came with unique prizes.
Like this;
[Tsubaki no Yaku no Sou: Your dark cuisine has received heartfelt praise from over ten ghost stories.]
[Free Rice and Hard Work: You've earned tips exceeding 100,000 yen from female ghost stories.]
[Leader of the Evil Organization: (Omitted)]
[Ghost Story Connoisseur: You've established connections with over twenty ghost stories.]
[Elementary School Student Attacker: "Hanako, you wouldn't want your mom to get hurt, would you?"]
[Pure Love God of War/Warrior of Love: You hold high the Prime Minister's banner, carry on the Prime Minister's will, and break a monster's heart.]
---
As expected, Amamiya successfully claimed the MVP title for the dungeon.
Throughout the entire dungeon, he was the only player to defeat a ghost story and completely break its resolve. Furthermore, it seemed there was an anonymous enthusiast on the judging panel, securing him the highest possible score for the dungeon.
Perhaps due to the dungeon's high difficulty level, the MVP rewards were particularly generous. Not only did they include the option to choose two items out of five, but they also awarded him a wearable title:
[Warrior of Love]