"Come on, everyone. Let's go witness the results of Xiao Shi's day of hard work—the thrilling, fun, and refreshing Seaside Amusement Park!"
"You're blatantly stealing someone else's amusement park name. Aren't you afraid of getting sued?"
"If you don't say anything and I don't say anything, who's going to know? And even if they do, so what? I didn't put up a sign. They can't do anything to me!"
Xiao Shi waved her hand and headed into a nearby building first. "Come on, come on!"
"Whoa, you really picked a pretty good place."
After entering the building Xiao Shi had chosen for the amusement park, Kaino looked around with shining eyes.
It wasn't the attractions inside that delighted him, but the many arcade machines.
After all, how elaborate or appealing could attractions made in a single day really be? Compared to those, the ready-made arcade machines made Kaino's hands itch.
Not to mention that Kaino already loved playing games. Having spent so long in the World Bubble without playing much had left him seriously addicted, or he wouldn't have played with Seele until late last night.
"Of course. I am the most discerning Xiao Shi, after all."
Xiao Shi nodded with a smile.
"Honestly, though, this place's special nature helped a lot. Maybe it's related to the profession? This building already had quite a few arcade machines, which saved me plenty of effort."
"Big Sister Xiao Shi, these attractions aren't going to charge money, are they?"
Blue Seele widened her eyes slightly and asked incredulously.
Congratulations. Setting Captain aside for the moment, at least Blue Seele's awareness of scams had greatly improved.
"Hey, do you think I'm that kind of person? None of the attractions here cost a single cent. Play as much as you want!"
Xiao Shi put her hands on her hips and laughed excitedly.
"Of course, even so, all you beast tamers need to remember to complete the tasks I set while you play. Otherwise, I won't stamp your cards!"
"What are the tasks?"
Kaino raised his hand like an obedient child.
"Ahem. Listen up, everyone."
"First, you need to experience the three major attractions I set up and take photos while doing so—make sure they're clear, and make sure you're smiling!"
"After completing all that, you'll fight me, the Demon King Xiao Shi, one-on-one. If you win, I'll stamp your cards."
"All right, beast tamers. Enjoy yourselves!"
The Strange Houmu Restaurant
"Seele, how are you? Are you okay?"
Kaino and Bella supported the pale-faced Blue Seele and found a place for her to sit.
"I-I'm fine, Brother Kaino. Seele is okay."
Seele shook her head and forced out a smile. "It's fine. Seele can still hold on. We were the ones who came to join the competition, so we can't hold everyone back at a time like this."
Kaino sighed at her words and rubbed Seele's head.
"All right, there's no rush with the competition. You and Seele should rest for a while first. There's only one event left anyway, so you can join after resting a bit. We have plenty of time."
With that, Kaino and Bella sat down beside Seele.
After spending nearly an hour, they had already completed the first two attractions.
How should he put it? Kaino had reservations about whether those things could really be called amusement attractions.
The first haunted house was fine. Although Blue Seele had been terrified, Red Seele had been rather unimpressed, and Kaino's group had completed it quickly after going in and coming out.
But the second one, the roller coaster Xiao Shi had named Northwest Wind Eighty-One Consecutive Loops... honestly, it was Kaino's first time seeing a roller coaster without seat belts. Its speed was absurdly fast as well. Even with Kaino helping them withstand the wind pressure, Red Seele and Blue Seele had only barely endured it by constantly switching bodies.
He had no idea how Xiao Shi had managed to make something like that in just one day.
And they had to smile and take pictures on that roller coaster... He really had believed Xiao Shi's nonsense, actually thinking she could come up with something normal.
Yet when Rozaliya and Liliya, who had gone through the ordeal before them, came down, they looked incredibly happy. He had no idea how those two had done it.
Was something wrong with them, or was something wrong with his side?
"By the way, Seele, do you want some water? Or some ice cream? I still have some sea salt ice cream left from before."
At Kaino's question, Seele merely shook her head stiffly.
"I don't want to eat anything... Seele has no appetite at all right now. I even feel a little nauseous."
"The other Seele is resting in the Stigmata right now. She said she doesn't want to come out for the time being."
"All right. I remember seeing a cold drink shop earlier, so I'll go get you some water."
Kaino nodded, then got to his feet.
"Bella, stay here and look after Seele. I'll be back soon."
"Yes, Master."
Kaino thought his memory was fairly good. It had always been that way since childhood, or he would not have been made Bianca's guide when rescuing K423.
But now, looking at the shop before him, Kaino began to deeply doubt his own memory.
In his memories, this shop had unquestionably been a cold drink shop.
But now...
The familiar door, the familiar shop name, and the familiar Houmu face on the sign—this shop before him was identical to the Houmu Happy Restaurant he had left only this morning.
At least, that was how it looked from the outside.
Was it a branch of that restaurant?
But if he had seen this shop before, there was no way he would have remembered it as a cold drink shop. What was going on?
Frowning, Kaino followed his curiosity and stepped forward to push the door.
It opened... Was someone inside?
Kaino abruptly pushed the door open.
...Jingle, jingle.
It was still the same crisp wind chime, but this time, it no longer sounded pleasant to Kaino. Instead, it sent chills down his spine.
The identical liquor cabinet, the identical right-angled bar counter, and the identical person standing behind it.
A woman who looked exactly like Rita lay sprawled across the counter, lazily supporting her cheek with one hand as she looked toward the door.
Other than the absence of Bronya, everything here was exactly the same as that Houmu restaurant.
Oh, there was also an extra cup of freshly brewed coffee on the counter. The scent of coffee filled the restaurant, and its enticing aroma made one unable to help relaxing.
But Kaino did not dare relax. This ghostly situation had put him on full alert. The fact that he had not pulled out Judgement of Shamash and shot her already was proof of his composure.
"Oh? So it's Mr. Kaino?"
A trace of surprise appeared on Rita's face. She straightened up slightly and pulled the cup of coffee on the table toward her side, the implication clear.
"I see. You are one of the anomalies as well... In that case, Rita miscalculated."
She pointed to the seat in front of the bar counter with one finger, then nodded slightly. "Please, sit. Before he arrives, Rita will answer your questions."
But Kaino did not pay attention to that. The fact that she directly called him by name clarified many things.
For example, the Rita before him and the Rita from the previous Houmu restaurant were the same person, not some clone.
But that also raised new questions.
"Who exactly are you?"
Naturally taking a seat across from Rita, Kaino stared at her and asked.
He had many questions in his heart.
There were clearly no citizens in the advanced competition zone aside from a small number of contestants and judges, so why could she open a shop here?
This place had clearly been a cold drink shop. Why had it become a Houmu restaurant?
And... were she and that swimsuit shop owner really just people from the same world who happened to look alike?
Thinking of Yae Sakura, whom he had seen only yesterday, Kaino narrowed his eyes.
"Casually asking a lady about her secrets is not very gentlemanly, you know."
Rita smiled softly.
"But since Rita promised to resolve your confusion, Rita will naturally tell you the truth."
"As you suspected, Rita, like you, came from the Quantum Sea. We are outsiders who do not belong to this World Bubble."
Just as he thought.
If that was the case, many things could be explained. For someone capable of crossing worlds, no matter how strange her abilities were, they would not be surprising.
But in that case, her...
"I'm sorry, but Rita cannot tell you her purpose for coming here for now. However, you need not dwell on it. All your questions will be answered soon enough. You... only need to wait."
Before Kaino could even ask, Rita answered his question with a smile.
"Rita cannot read minds or anything like that. It's simply that the question you wanted to ask was far too obvious."
"I..."
"Ah, apologies. The guest Rita has been waiting for has arrived. Our conversation may have to end here. Please forgive Rita's poor hospitality."
Without giving Kaino a chance to speak, Rita moved the still-steaming cup of coffee to the center of the counter, then leaned against the bar again.
At the same time, slow and rhythmic footsteps sounded behind Kaino.
Frowning, Kaino instinctively turned around.
But he could not see anything clearly.
The entire restaurant warped like clothes tossed into a washing machine, blurring into an indistinct oil painting smeared into chaos. At this moment, the only clear thing was Rita, still seated there.
"Lastly, Rita will offer you a piece of advice."
Rita spoke with a smile.
"Please stay close to that Miss Seele at all times. Otherwise, you may be unable to leave this World Bubble."
As Rita finished speaking, the warped restaurant instantly collapsed and vanished, scattering like drifting particles in every direction, no one knew where they would settle...
Only Kaino remained, sitting alone on a stool.
Cyber Electric Scooter, Charge!
What was going on?
Kaino was utterly stunned. More precisely, he had been stunned ever since the Houmu restaurant began to warp.
He looked around and found that the surroundings had completely changed from before.
The right-angled bar counter had become an ordinary sales counter, while the massive liquor cabinet had turned into several refrigerators standing side by side. There were still seats for customers, but they had changed style and looked much cheaper.
This was... a cold drink shop?
Suddenly remembering why he had come out in the first place, Kaino slipped behind the counter, grabbed several bottles of water and drinks, and prepared to bring them back to Seele and the others.
Speaking of Seele, the Seele Rita had referred to should be Captain's Seele, right?
Was there something special about her?
"Hey, Kaino, why did you take so long?"
Seeing Kaino return with water, the still-pale Seele frowned slightly.
"You only went to get water. Don't tell me you managed to run into trouble too?"
It seemed Red Seele was the one suffering outside now.
"Broadly speaking, something did happen and delayed me."
Kaino sighed and sat down beside Seele. After thinking for a few seconds, he continued.
"Seele, let me ask you something. While I was gone getting water, did you see Captain, Rozaliya, or the others? Or do you know where they are?"
Before you continue