Unfortunately, Miss Sadako was still very shy. She climbed back into the TV and hid in the well again.
The group sat down on the hospital bed.
Amamiya Natsuki took out the medical record and handed it to the girls to pass around.
"Sakurai..." Fujiwara Chika's eyes widened. "I can make out this name, but what is the rest of it?"
It was a very ordinary name.
That was precisely why it seemed so out of place on this Vengeful Spirit.
"It's the devil's whisper." Takanashi Rikka's ahoge trembled. She pressed a hand to her eyepatch. "When my dad was in the hospital, the doctor wrote the exact same thing on his medical record. I couldn't recognize a single character."
The writing on doctors' medical records was all Martian text. Unless you were in the medical field, there was no way an outsider could read it.
"Kaguya-chan, can you make sense of it?"
Fujiwara Chika turned to the group's brains, the super Genius Girl.
"..."
Shinomiya Kaguya said nothing.
I'm sorry.
I can't make heads or tails of it.
Even though she knew eight languages and could write in ten, she still couldn't understand what the medical record said.
"It's normal for non-professionals not to understand it," Amamiya Natsuki said. "Once the hallway lights come back on, let's look for the other players and see if anyone can decipher the writing."
"Um..." Kujo Asuka raised her right hand and spoke quietly. "I can understand some of it."
Everyone looked her way.
"Ahem, I'm not making it up," Kujo Asuka hurried to explain. "My dad runs a small clinic. I've seen him write medical records, and his handwriting looks about the same, so I can read a little."
"Why do doctors all write so messily?" Fujiwara Chika asked, puzzled.
"Um, I asked my dad that when I was little," Kujo Asuka said softly. "He told me medical records are actually written for doctors and nurses to read. Most patients can't even understand the directions on their medicine."
"Could you take a look?" Shinomiya Kaguya handed her the medical record.
Kujo Asuka quickly took it. "I can only make out a little. There are parts I can't recognize either."
"That's more than enough. This is already an unexpected bonus," Amamiya Natsuki said. "Just tell us what you can read."
"I'll do my best."
Kujo Asuka took a deep breath and began to translate the alien text on the medical record.
An unknown girl named Sakurai suffered from some kind of serious congenital illness that seemed to affect her ability to move. She had to remain in the hospital twenty-four hours a day and receive conservative treatment, but her condition continued to worsen...
"I don't recognize the specific name of the illness," Kujo Asuka said quietly. "There are medication records afterward, but I can't read those either."
"That's enough." Shinomiya Kaguya gently pressed her fingers to her brow and made a decision. "We can fill in the rest ourselves."
Fujiwara Chika suddenly said:
"Come to think of it, hasn't the darkness been lasting longer and longer?"
"It has," Amamiya Natsuki said with a slight nod. "I just don't know what it means."
"..."
The lights came back on.
Amamiya Natsuki and the girls left the room and headed down the hallway, straight for the room where the single girl was staying.
"No good. It won't open." Amamiya Natsuki tried pushing the door, then quickly shook his head. "It's locked."
"Where could the key be..." Fujiwara Chika rested her right hand against her chin. Her eyes suddenly lit up. "I've got it! Could it be the fragment we got from Miss Cow?"
"It's a common game trope. The fragments can eventually be combined into a key."
"Worth a try." Amamiya Natsuki nodded in agreement. "Taking action is better than sitting around doing nothing."
"You're up, Natsuki-classmate." Fujiwara Chika pointed at him, her voice bright and clear. "Let's start our sweep with Room 401."
Amamiya Natsuki thought for a moment and quickly remembered the Vengeful Spirit in Room 401.
Miss Succubus.
Curious, he pushed open the door. The first thing he saw was a girl player huddled in the corner, her eyes full of tears. Facing her was a dark-skinned Succubus with wings and a tail.
"There's actually a man here?!"
The moment she saw Amamiya Natsuki, the dark-skinned Succubus's eyes lit up.
"Get over here and replenish my magic!"
Amamiya Natsuki asked curiously:
"Is this 'replenishing magic' of yours proper or improper?"
Miss Succubus opened her mouth, revealing two pointed fangs. She ran her crimson tongue across the corner of her lips and smiled dangerously. "Of course it's improper."
Great.
He liked the improper kind of magic replenishment.
"As a man, your blood must taste wonderful, right?" Red light flickered in Miss Succubus's eyes. "I can barely hold myself back."
Your way of replenishing magic was drinking blood?
Who would agree to that?!
"I'm sorry." Amamiya Natsuki's expression turned serious as he firmly refused. "I'm a decent person."
"Did you think you could walk out of here once you came in?"
Miss Succubus swung the bone whip in her hand and wrapped it around Amamiya Natsuki's arm. "Kneel. Lick my feet."
Caught off guard, Amamiya Natsuki couldn't withstand the Vengeful Spirit's strength and was pulled toward her.
The gap between an ordinary human and a Vengeful Spirit was enormous. Most people were powerless to resist.
Fortunately, Secretary Fujiwara finally rushed in. She pointed at Miss Succubus and cried out, "Outlaw Zhang San, I call your name—dare you answer me?"
Miss Succubus tilted her head in confusion. Suddenly, her mouth moved against her will, and she answered:
"...Zhang San is here!"
Amamiya Natsuki suddenly felt like he could take on the world again.
He grabbed Miss Succubus by the wrist, lifted the petite Succubus—somewhere between an Elementary School Student and a Junior high school student in size—and smiled as he asked, "What did you just say?"
"Human, what did you do to me?"
Miss Succubus's eyes widened. She tried to struggle, only to quickly realize that she couldn't move at all.
Miss Succubus was much more sensible than the Cow vengeful spirit. As soon as she realized things had gone badly, she gave in. "Master, you can make me lick you, too."
As expected of a Succubus. She knew when to bend, and she had no principles whatsoever!
"Fujiwara," Amamiya Natsuki said, turning his head. "Come over and search her."
"Coming!"
Fujiwara Chika quickly got to work searching her.
"What does 'replenish magic' mean?" Shinomiya Kaguya folded her arms across her chest, her brows drawing together slightly.
"It means replenishing magical power." Takanashi Rikka pressed a hand to her eye and explained with complete seriousness, "Humans need air to breathe. Vengeful Spirits likewise need to replenish their magic, or they'll grow weaker over time."
Shinomiya Kaguya looked doubtful. "That sounds like table salt."
"Exactly. Table salt is the source of human magic."
"..."
Only Kujo Asuka looked like she wanted to say something.
There was no way a Succubus's method of replenishing magic could be proper. Had they never seen My King Saber's magic replenishment scene in Fate?
How could the two of them be so innocent?!
"Found it."
Fujiwara Chika quickly finished searching Miss Succubus and found a floating fragment on her tail.
With the item in hand, Amamiya Natsuki let go of Miss Succubus, who was pretending to be weak, and prepared to leave. He could capture Zhang San, but he couldn't judge or eliminate him. Shinomiya Kaguya had an exorcism weapon and could try to seal the Vengeful Spirit, but time was short. There were still plenty of Black and Yellow Evil deeds to sweep away.
"Let's go." Amamiya Natsuki turned to leave.
"Wait." Fujiwara Chika reached out and caught the hem of his clothes. She said earnestly, "We can't just leave like this."
"Hm?"
"After what we just did to Miss Succubus, she'll definitely take revenge later."
"I can't leave this room," Miss Succubus hurriedly said. "I can't take revenge on you."
Fujiwara Chika reached out and helped the unlucky girl to her feet. "If we leave her here, she'll be in danger."
At her words, Amamiya Natsuki looked at the player who shared a room with the Succubus. The girl's eyes were full of tears, and several whip marks streaked her body. She'd just been kicked aside, too... If they left her alone with an enraged Vengeful Spirit, what happened next was obvious.
"She can rest in our room for now," Shinomiya Kaguya said calmly.
Where there were people, there were always social entanglements.
Even in a Horror Game, Connections remained an important resource.
If they could build more Connections and boost their reputation now, there was no reason to pass up the opportunity.
Amamiya Natsuki nodded and looked at the unlucky girl. "Do you want to come with us?"
"I do."
The unlucky girl quickly nodded and got to her feet.
Anyone who could sell food in a Vengeful Spirit game had to be a big shot. She had a chance to latch onto someone powerful, so of course she wouldn't let it slip by!
"Sorry for the trouble." Fujiwara Chika offered her a handkerchief and spoke gently. "Wipe your eyes."
"Th-thank you..."
The unlucky girl thanked her gratefully, gazing through tear-blurred eyes at Fujiwara Chika.
Though the hospital room was dim and gloomy, the girl before her seemed to radiate light, warming her heart.
Fujiwara Chika, the Light of Humanity!
Miss Succubus gritted her teeth, but didn't dare fight back. She could only watch helplessly as Amamiya Natsuki led the others away.
"Damn man, I'll remember you! Next time we meet, I'll drain you dry!"
"..."
They arrived at the next hospital room.
Amamiya Natsuki pushed open the door. This time, he didn't waste any time.
"Someone reported you for illegal trading... Everybody, hands on your heads and squat down! Don't move!"
Before you continue