Chapter 140: Sightseeing in Enoshima Before the Fireworks!

The festival was scheduled to run for two days.

Apparently, a fireworks display was set for the final night, so the plan was for us to stay until then. I hadn’t visited Enoshima much in my old life. Since we’d decided to spend the morning of the second day sightseeing, I was actually looking forward to it.

"We’re here for the sights, but... is that the person who helped you?" Shiki asked.

"Ah, yeah. This is Levi-san. She helped me when I got lost yesterday," I explained. "She seems to know her way around here, so she offered to show us the ropes."

"That’s a relief, but... why is my best friend getting lost the moment we arrive?"

"The crowds were just that intense..."

I’d been forced to get creative to avoid further suspicion after returning so late the night before. My solution was to lean into my abysmal sense of direction—a trait so bad it could be called a curse. If I use that as a shield, I can pretend Levi rescued me and bring her along for the tour.

Though the others looked exasperated, they seemed to buy the story. Shiki and the rest of the group took turns offering Levi their thanks.

"Well then, let’s get moving! Follow me!"

And so, our group of six grew to seven. Guided by Levi, we wound our way through Enoshima’s tourist spots and sweet shops. We ate our way through the streets, our luggage slowly growing heavier with every stop.

In this world, no one knew when or where a Dungeon might appear. Seeing buildings specifically for Adventurers and Dungeon entrances—things that definitely hadn't existed back home—brought back that familiar sense of alienation.

"...Actually, these dango are pretty good."

"Indeed, this mitarashi is exquisite," Tsubaki agreed. "Reima-dono, I recommend this one as well."

"Zunda? That’s a rare find."

Tsubaki handed me a skewer of white dango topped with a vibrant green paste. It wasn't a variety you saw every day. I took a bite, and a gentle sweetness spread across my tongue, followed by the distinct, earthy flavor of edamame.

What bothered me, though, was the way Levi was staring at me while I ate. Does she want some? Thinking she might be hungry, I bought another skewer and held it out to her.

"Wait, is this for me?" she asked.

"You’re the one guiding us around. Besides, you looked like you wanted some."

"Ah, thank you. I’ve never had this before, so I was curious."

That's odd. Isn't Levi a local?

Then again, being a local didn't necessarily mean you went out of your way to eat the tourist food. In fact, most people probably avoided it.

After exploring the island, we headed back toward the mainland to check out the surrounding area. Levi, acting as our navigator, consulted what looked like a planned itinerary and announced our next stop.

"Next up... all right, the haunted house!"

"Ooh, nice! I’m in, Levi-san!" Ayane chirped.

I felt a cold sweat break out instantly. Ayane had reacted faster than anyone, and just as I was about to call for a timeout, Kaiser stepped in.

"The one that opened recently? The one they say is terrifying? I’ve been curious about that myself. You’ve got good taste, Levi-san."

"A haunted house, huh?" Shiki mused. "Now that I think about it, I’ve never been in one because Tsubaki usually refuses to go near them."

So Tsubaki is bad with horror too.

But what now? Ayane was already on board, and Kaiser’s eyes were practically sparkling. Laura was full of enthusiasm for her first experience, and as for Tsubaki...

"...I am perfectly fine with scary things," she whispered.

Her eyes were watery, her voice was a flat monotone, and she was staring intently at a point in the empty air.

"Uh, are you really okay, Tsubaki?"

"I am fine. I am perfectly fine, Reima-dono. If everyone wishes to go, I shall go... to the very end."

"Hey, let’s just skip it, okay? Forget about me—Tsubaki looks like she's about to break."

Her voice was so dead it was impossible to reconcile with her usual lively self. She was still stuck in that monotone, and for some reason, she wouldn't meet my eyes. I didn't understand why she was forcing herself when she clearly hated the idea, but with her "consent" on record, I had no grounds to refuse.

"...Seriously, is this really a haunted house?"

Unable to escape our fate, we arrived at the attraction situated next to the aquarium. It was a massive, ominous building called Enkai School. From inside, a symphony of agony and terror echoed—the kind of screams that sounded like every possible human misery had been distilled into a single soundtrack.

The standard shrieks were just the appetizers. We heard "No, stay away!" and "I don't want to die!" and eventually, sounds of pure, unadulterated psychological breakdown.

"Are we actually doing this? These warnings are ridiculous."

I pointed to a sign near the entrance.

[This haunted house is designed to inflict maximum trauma upon the mind and spirit. Please enjoy your suffering.]

"I can't wait!" Ayane said.

"What's the plan, Ayane? It says here only three people can go in at a time."

"Should we draw lots?"

"Is there no option where Tsubaki and I just stay out here?" I asked.

"No way. Since we're all here, we’re all sharing the trauma."

"I shall enjoy myself..." Tsubaki droned.

...I see.

I’m finished.

Honestly, I was dreading this. But looking at Tsubaki—whose eyes had lost their highlights as she prepared to shuffle off this mortal coil—I felt too guilty to back out. I opened a lottery app on my phone to decide the groups.

The result popped up.

"Well, we're doomed."

"Reima-dono... we are bound together in life and death," Tsubaki muttered.

"The three of us, then? This is going to be fun! I can’t wait to see how you two react!" Levi chirped.

The math dictated that we needed one group of three. My eyes went just as dead as Tsubaki’s when I realized I’d been paired with her and Levi.

"Aww... well, whatever. Levi-san, make sure to tell me everything about how they act later, okay?"

"You got it!"

The conversation moved on without us.

As I felt the sheer cruelty of the world weighing down on me, Tsubaki and I took our places in line with vacant stares, feeling exactly like the damned being herded toward the gates of hell.