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They didn't stay long in the ward. After offering condolences, the group quickly came out.
"President, did you find anything?"
Shinomiya Kaguya asked softly.
"Indeed, I did."
Amamiya Natsuki nodded and whispered the situation.
"A curse, huh…" Shinomiya Kaguya gently pursed her pink lips and whispered, "It should be considered a negative status, right?"
Fujiwara Chika quickly said, "Use the Pure White Bride Skin Card?"
"The Skin Card won't work," Amamiya Natsuki shook his head. "Only players can equip and activate it."
For example, Miko, because she's not a player, even if the Copy and Paste skill is given to her, she can't use it.
"I forgot," Fujiwara Chika tapped her forehead. "What about that scurvy orange?"
Amamiya Natsuki said, "There are only a few slices of the orange left; we need to save them."
"Hmm…" Fujiwara Chika rested her right hand on her chin. "Oh, right, what about the curse purification technique inherited from the crystal ball yesterday? Is it useful?"
Amamiya Natsuki shook his head and said, "It requires a potion made from specific materials, which can't be prepared in a short time."
"I think we can feed her a slice of orange." Shinomiya Kaguya crossed her right arm over her chest and softly suggested, "The sudden outbreak of the nightmare is likely related to her sketch in art class, and… "
After a pause, Shinomiya Kaguya continued, "It's still unclear if the coma will further worsen."
She is already in a coma; if it worsens further, it could very likely become life-threatening.
"Then feed her the orange." Amamiya Natsuki pondered for a moment and quickly agreed. "The next problem is how to get the Yuuko's mother to leave temporarily."
"That's easy—"
Fujiwara Chika put her hands on her hips and turned her head, saying, "Moeha, come here."
Fujiwara Moeha was secretly eavesdropping not far away. Hearing the summons, she ran over quickly, puffing out her cheeks and saying, "Sister, what are you two talking about so mysteriously? You're even hiding it from me, how mean!"
"Don't ask so many questions," Fujiwara Chika put a finger to her lips and said, "We have a way to wake Hinata, but we need the Yuuko's mother to leave the ward for a while."
"Eh?" Fujiwara Moeha was startled, and couldn't help but cast a doubtful look. "Even the doctors said it's a coma caused by an unknown reason, what method could you have, Sister?"
"The method won't work if we talk about it," Amamiya Natsuki said from the side. "If you don't believe Chika, don't you believe Kaguya-chan?"
Shinomiya Kaguya nodded gently and said, "Indeed, we have a way to wake your classmate."
"I believe you now," Fujiwara Moeha looked up with her small face, her voice clear. "I'll go right away and call the Yuuko's mother out of the ward."
"Wait," Fujiwara Chika couldn't help but call out, "Why don't you believe what I say, but you believe Kaguya-chan as soon as she speaks?"
"Because you're usually too unreliable, Sister," Fujiwara Moeha said as a matter of course. "Kaguya-senpai is very convincing."
"How, how mean!" Fujiwara Chika pouted aggrievedly, complaining to Amamiya Natsuki, "Moeha is bullying me."
Amamiya Natsuki reached out his right hand and stroked the secretary's little head: "Just get used to it."
"…"
A moment later.
For some unknown reason, Fujiwara Moeha successfully led the Yuuko's mother out.
"Senpai, good luck."
Fujiwara Moeha quietly clenched her fists in encouragement and walked with the Yuuko's mother towards the restroom.
"Go in."
Amamiya Natsuki reached out and pushed open the door, walking into the ward with Chika and Kaguya.
This was a high-class ward, with only the junior high school girl inside, which made it convenient for them to act.
Amamiya Natsuki took out an orange and handed it to Chika, asking her to help feed it to her.
"Cough, cough…"
Not long after eating the orange, the junior high school girl opened her eyes with a series of coughs.
"Hinata, are you awake?" Fujiwara Chika leaned her pretty face closer and asked softly, "Can you speak?"
"I can…" The junior high school girl blinked, her expression bewildered. "Are you… Moeha-chan's older sister?"
This Chika secretary often visited the junior high department and was a campus celebrity, very popular there.
"That's right, it's me." Fujiwara Chika lifted her chin and quickly got to the point. "Hinata, do you remember what happened last night?"
"Last night…" The junior high school girl finally saw her surroundings clearly and became nervous. "W-why am I in the Hospital?"
"You fainted last night…" Fujiwara Chika briefly explained the situation, her expression becoming serious. "We suspect it might be a ghost at work."
The junior high school girl's eyes widened in confusion: "A g-ghost?"
"Some things indeed cannot be explained by science." Shinomiya Kaguya said from the side, "For example, almost everyone in your entire classroom had the same nightmare."
The junior high school girl quickly nodded: "Kaguya-senpai is right, it must be a ghost at work."
"It was me." Fujiwara Chika's tone immediately turned resentful. "It was clearly me who said it was a ghost at work, okay?"
Amamiya Natsuki spoke:
"Of course, perhaps it's just some accident or coincidence, we should believe in science… Moeha said you drew the woman from that nightmare in art class. Can you draw her again now?"
"I'm sorry, Kaguya-senpai." The junior high school girl's face showed a puzzled expression, and she said nervously, "I can't remember what that woman looked like."
Amamiya Natsuki raised an eyebrow slightly upon hearing this and asked again:
"What about the drawing you made yesterday?"
This time there was finally good news. The drawing hadn't been torn or thrown away. The junior high school girl replied weakly:
"I put it in my backpack."
…
A moment later.
The Yuuko's mother, with swollen eyes, returned from the restroom. Seeing her daughter awake, she was naturally so excited that tears blurred her vision.
Amamiya Natsuki, Kaguya, and Chika took the opportunity to say their goodbyes and leave the Hospital.
"Hinata actually woke up." Fujiwara Moeha's voice was filled with surprise, her face full of capital-letter curiosity. "Sister, what exactly did you do?"
Fujiwara Chika crossed her arms over her chest: "Children shouldn't ask so many questions."
"I'm not a child." Fujiwara Moeha lifted her chin in rebuttal. "When I had my physical exam a few days ago, I was already a D-cup."
The Sheltered Young Lady's eye twitched slightly, and she couldn't help but glance at Moeha's chest.
Although she was a petite junior high student, from the side, she clearly had a 'horizontal view as a ridge, side view as a peak' feeling… she certainly didn't disgrace the Fujiwara.
Damn it!
She's just a junior high student, yet her development is too much!
I drink milk every day, but it has no effect at all. It must be Mom's fault!
Arriving at the Train Station, they sent away Moeha, who was pestering people with questions. Amamiya Natsuki and the two girls boarded the train and headed straight for Hinata's house.
What they were about to do was not suitable for a junior high student to be involved in.
The journey was silent.
Arriving outside Hinata's house, Amamiya Natsuki directly handed the task of finding the backpack to Mrs. Shimizu.
"Mission accomplished, guaranteed."
Mrs. Shimizu saluted and quietly entered the house.
Before long, a backpack floated down from the second-floor balcony.
Fujiwara Chika caught the backpack, opened it to check, and quickly said:
"It's Hinata's backpack, alright."
Towels, stockings, toothbrushes, sunscreen, a compact mirror… The junior high school girl's backpack contained a lot of miscellaneous items, except for a few books.
Amamiya Natsuki even saw a classic pair of bear-patterned panties.
"Stare—"
The Sheltered Young Lady's gaze shifted, glancing over.
Amamiya Natsuki wisely averted his gaze: "You two search, I'll stand guard."
Not long after, Fujiwara Chika's soft exclamation rang out:
"I found the drawing."
Amamiya Natsuki turned around and saw Chika holding a sketchbook with a folded drawing inside.
As the sketch was unfolded, a strange Nameless woman with disheveled hair and only three black holes for eyes and a mouth, appeared before the three of them.
At the same time.
A game notification suddenly sounded in the ears of the three.
[You have encountered the strange Nameless woman, you have been marked with a curse…]
[Guard mission triggered!]
[Mission target: Kill the strange Nameless woman]
[The real world has been invaded. As a Player, there is no escape. This mission cannot be refused or exempted.]
[Upon successful kill, you will receive the following rewards—]
[game currency 1000]
[Free attribute points 10 points]
[Two random skill scrolls]
[One Skin Card]
[One premium item]
[One instance exemption card]
…
The sudden string of game notifications made Amamiya Natsuki and the two girls fall silent.
"Natsuki-kun, what's wrong with you?"
Mrs. Shimizu's tone was puzzled.
"Natsuki-kun, Kaguya-chan, did you hear that?"
Fujiwara Chika snapped back to reality, her beautiful eyes wide with shock, and quickly asked.
Amamiya Natsuki said in a deep voice:
"I heard it."
Originally, he just thought the contagious nightmare was a bit off, but now it seemed they had come into contact with something extremely important.
Shinomiya Kaguya crossed her arms over her chest, her delicate brows slightly furrowed. "That strange woman in the painting… let's call her the Nameless woman. From where did she invade reality? A game instance?"
"It shouldn't be an instance character." Amamiya Natsuki shook his head and pondered, "If it were a game-controlled instance anomaly, our mission should be illegal smuggling, making us wanted and pursued. The guard mission proves that the game and the other party are not the same force."
"That's right." Fujiwara Chika nodded in agreement. "It's very likely an enemy force of the game, otherwise, why would the rewards be so generous?"
"What the specific situation is, we can't get in touch with it for now, so let's not worry too much." Amamiya Natsuki said, "The top priority is to complete the mission."
Shinomiya Kaguya said softly:
"It can currently be confirmed that that strange woman can spread curses through drawings."
"It's a good thing Natsuki discovered it in time. If just looking at the drawing could infect someone, with such an exaggerated method of infection, the entire school would easily fall." Fujiwara Chika clutched her chest, sighing in relief, then her pretty face suddenly changed. "…Moeha was also infected?"
"Don't panic." Amamiya Natsuki's voice was calm. "Moeha just dreamt of that woman. We can solve it early. The current problem is finding that Nameless woman."
Shinomiya Kaguya pursed her pink lips and said:
"The one who tied the bell must untie it. Hinata should have clues on her."
Fujiwara Chika worried: "But she said she already forgot."
"Nightmares can be forgotten, but things that have been done will definitely leave traces." Amamiya Natsuki's gaze shifted. "Let's go into the house and see if we can find any clues."
…
Just now, it was only to retrieve the backpack, and the task could be left to Mrs. Shimizu. The three of them could leisurely wait outside without a problem. Now, they could only go in themselves.
Fujiwara Chika said expectantly:
"Like the day we rescued Kaguya-chan, should we sneak in?"
"Correct answer." Amamiya Natsuki took out his Shadow Cloak and looked at the two girls. "Who wants to go first?"
"I have a better idea." Shinomiya Kaguya took the cloak, walked over to Chika, and smiled, "Chika and I will go in together, and then we'll have Mom bring the cloak out later."
Amamiya Natsuki: "…"
The infiltration went smoothly without any hitches. The three quickly succeeded in sneaking in—it was indeed a house, but not a mansion like Shinomiya. Aside from a few cameras, there were basically no defensive measures.
"No one is in the house."
"Everyone, split up."
"If you find any clues, contact us by phone immediately. Be careful and send text messages, don't make calls."
…
After a brief discussion, the three quickly decided on their respective search areas. Before acting, Amamiya Natsuki applied Dark Shadow to Chika to eliminate any worries.
Twenty minutes later.
The three met in the living room.
"No clues." Fujiwara Chika flopped backward onto the sofa, sighing, "Found nothing at all."
Amamiya Natsuki said:
"I just checked the basement too, and found no clues either."
"It's not a wasted effort." The the Young Lady's expression was calm. "At least we've eliminated a wrong option."
"Let's go." Amamiya Natsuki turned and said, "Let's talk outside."
Donning their cloaks, the three quickly left the house, moving in and out as if entering an uninhabited place. The fact was, there was indeed no one there.
"Should we go to the Hospital again?" Fujiwara Chika suggested. "Maybe we can get some clues from Hinata."
"Probably not." Amamiya Natsuki shook his head. "She has no reason to lie. After the curse is broken, she probably really forgot her memories related to the Nameless woman."
"The only witness actually has amnesia." Fujiwara Chika took a sip of her cold juice and couldn't help but complain, "Even if Conan came, he wouldn't be able to solve the case."
"Chika-chan makes sense." Mrs. Shimizu nodded in agreement. "Detective novels are all about logic, but reality is much more absurd than fiction."
Shinomiya Kaguya frowned in thought, also unable to figure out how to find the Nameless woman.
They only had a hand-drawn sketch of the Nameless woman, and a compass for finding people was completely useless.
"Are we just going to wait passively?" Shinomiya Kaguya bit her lip lightly. "The curse shouldn't just be about making people faint… Eventually, the Nameless woman might appear in person."
"Passively waiting for too many variables is not good. It's better to take the initiative."
Amamiya Natsuki finished his canned cola in one gulp, throwing the can into a nearby trash can. "At times like this, we should choose to rely on the power of science."
Fujiwara Chika said speechlessly: "Strange things can't be solved by science, right?"
"Science can't solve the strange, but it can solve the people related to the strange." Amamiya Natsuki paused for two seconds, then stated his method, "It's time to call in the experts."
join p atreon.com/KeyofStars and become a Sequence 9: Reader for advance chapters | Every 100 powerstones = 1 extra chapter | Report issues @discord.com/GVBdncd9Wr