SCIAW: Chapter 93/95

Chapter 93: Slight Changes

The sound of water droplets echoed clearly throughout the hot spring.

All the girls on this weekend trip had undressed and immersed themselves in the soothing warmth, as if only by doing so could they wash away the lingering unease in their hearts.

"Our first club outing, and we run into a real supernatural event."

"I can't tell if we're lucky or just plain unlucky."

Sonoko gazed up at the dark sky, unable to suppress her complaints.

"This is definitely us being lucky."

Kaguya answered without hesitation.

"Didn't Miss Isumi say so?"

"This supernatural event isn't that serious."

"Even Amamiya said this was just a test for us."

"A low-difficulty test, at that."

"Besides, I think Amamiya purposely set the challenge at a very easy level just to help us adapt."

The smaller the range in which evil spirits roam, the greater their harm to people.

Following this logic, since the spirits on the island were dispersed over a wide area, their danger level was minimal.

For Kaguya, this was merely an adaptation period.

The other girls present had no objections.

They all understood that with Ren and Isumi leading the way, as long as they didn't act recklessly, they would be fine.

So, the most important thing right now was how well they could adapt.


---

"Sonoko, do you like Amamiya?"

Fujiwara's sudden question instantly changed the atmosphere in the bath.

Almost all the girls turned their attention to Sonoko, their interest piqued.

Faced with their expectant gazes, Sonoko remained unfazed.

"Yes, I like Amamiya a lot."

"Oh~!"

Fujiwara's inner gossip instincts ignited.

"What's the reason?"

"Well… at first, it was probably because I realized Amamiya's hidden charm."

"As you all know, I have very high standards when it comes to looks, and any guy I like has to at least pass that bar."

"Yeah."

Fujiwara nodded. She was well aware of Sonoko's taste.

"What about the other reasons?"

"The other reason… I suppose it was when I accompanied Ran to meet Amamiya at his house."

"Meeting the family already?!"

Fujiwara's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Oh, it wasn't anything romantic."

Sonoko sighed.

"Ran had gotten hold of Amamiya's diary and wanted to dig up more information about him, so she dragged me along."

"That's when I found out about the connection between them."

She explained helplessly.

Seeing Chika's eager expression, she knew what the girl was expecting.

Unfortunately, she too wished their first visit to Amamiya's house had been more romantic.

But reality had other plans.

Even if the reason wasn't particularly special, the result wasn't bad.

Thinking back to that day, Sonoko couldn't help but smile.

"But still, it was kind of nice."

"At that moment, I thought he was really cute~"

This revelation made Fujiwara even more intrigued.

While the two continued their conversation, the other girls around them had also taken notice.


---

"Isumi, what do you think?"

Nagi, who had been soaking in the hot spring, suddenly spoke.

"About Amamiya-sama?"

"Yeah."

"Amamiya-sama is a very gentle person."

Isumi thought for a moment before giving her assessment.

"He may be quiet, but he treats everyone with the same level of kindness."

"And even though this situation turned out to be a little more complicated than expected, Amamiya-sama already had countermeasures in place."

"Eh~"

Nagi looked up at the night sky.

The stars seemed to connect, forming the silhouette of her mother, a figure she longed for.

Then, an image of Ren surfaced in her mind.

Quiet, reserved, gentle—not as cold as he appeared on the surface.

Even that coldness seemed to be a defense mechanism, a mask to hide his struggles with interacting with girls.

Strangely enough, she felt that Amamiya and her mother shared a similar presence.

But unlike her mother, Amamiya was much more… normal.

"Isumi, do you think… I should try getting closer to Amamiya?"

Isumi and Maria, who were sitting next to her, both widened their eyes in surprise.

This was… unexpected.

But not bad.

"I don't think that would be a bad thing."

After a brief pause, Isumi gave her honest opinion.

"Amamiya-sama is a good person. It wouldn't hurt if you took the initiative."

"Besides, you and Amamiya-sama have some similarities."

"You might even have common interests."

"…Hmm."

This time, Nagi didn't object.

While the three were whispering among themselves, Kaguya and Hayasaka were also having a quiet conversation.

"He never gets angry when tempted. Instead, he responds with the utmost gentleness."

"Amamiya-san's personality really is special."

"If Amamiya-san weren't such a good person, Kaguya-san would've been the first to suffer."

Hayasaka teased.

Kaguya turned her head and shot her a glare.

You get it, so don't say it out loud.

That said, she had to admit, if Amamiya had been a different kind of man, she would've been the one to suffer the most under his influence.

She was grateful that he was nothing like the people she had known in the past.

"Kaguya-san, shouldn't you start preparing?"

"Preparing?"

Kaguya didn't quite follow.

"If nothing unexpected happens, you'll always be by Amamiya-san's side in the future."

"According to Amamiya-san, this is the intersection of fate."

"In that case, shouldn't you start preparing now?"

Kaguya fell silent.

She understood what Hayasaka meant.

It was a pragmatic, calculated approach.

If this had been before, she wouldn't have hesitated to act in her own best interest.

But now…

Thinking about how Ren had always been so gentle with her, how he had never approached her with any ulterior motives…

Facing someone like that, she didn't want to approach him in a calculated way either.

Logically, this was the wrong choice.

But she wasn't the same person she had been before.

"No… I'll let things happen naturally."

A firm determination flickered in Kaguya's eyes.

"Let it be."

Hayasaka didn't say anything more, but inside, she was already smiling.

Because the moment Kaguya refused, she realized, Kaguya had changed.

--------‐----
Chapter 94: Innocent

After a refreshing soak in the hot spring, the girls felt much better, having washed away their fatigue from the journey.

The hot spring hotel kept the air conditioning on at all times, so even in just a yukata at night, no one felt particularly cold.

But it was still too early to go to bed.

Even though they had dried their hair, the length made it so that the inner layers were still slightly damp.

Going straight to bed like this wasn't an option.

More importantly, none of them were tired enough to sleep yet.

Excitement filled the air.

The supernatural encounter earlier had been a major test for them but at the same time, it had made this trip all the more thrilling.

The adrenaline rush from the experience left the girls wide awake, even after bathing.

Since there was no way they could fall asleep so soon, the group gathered in the hotel's common lounge.

However, it seemed they weren't the only ones still awake.


---

"Amamiya, you're still up too?"

Fujiwara was the first to approach when she spotted Ren sitting in the lounge with a deck of cards in hand.

"Yeah."

Ren didn't look up, his attention focused on the cards spread out on the table.

"I'm performing a divination on the island's situation."

"I need to confirm whether there's anything that might threaten our safety."

Divination.

Fujiwara nodded slightly. She had heard Ren mention before that he possessed abilities related to that.

"Can it really be that accurate?"

"Yeah." Ren gave a brief response.

Divination wasn't infallible, but the circumstances that would render it unreliable didn't seem to exist in this world.

For now, he could trust its revelations.

"Divination is the process of obtaining insights through rituals and inquiries, then connecting the results to interpret information."

"Among them, Tarot is the simplest form, anyone can use it, but the revelations it provides are relatively weak."

"Tarot divination relies on specific rituals, which makes it easier to access certain insights."

"Pendulums and dowsing rods require a much higher degree of attunement. Ordinary people likely wouldn't be able to extract accurate revelations from them."

"Oh~"

Fujiwara listened attentively, even if she doubted she'd be able to use such methods herself anytime soon.

That didn't stop her from being curious about the results.

"So? What did you find out? Are we in danger?"

"No."

Ren shook his head slightly.

"There's no direct threat from the evil spirits."

"They are only active between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m."

"Additionally, the spirits on this island have a clear target."

"Despite lacking rational thought, they instinctively pursue the ones who killed them."

Ren had a theory about this.

"It's likely because these spirits were only recently formed and because the ones responsible for their deaths are still alive."

"Until those murderers are dealt with, the spirits won't harm others."

Fujiwara was a little surprised.

"You got all of that through divination?"

"Yeah."

Ren nodded.

This revelation explained something that had been bothering him.

Despite the sheer number of evil spirits roaming the island, none of the ordinary visitors seemed to have been affected.

Now, at least, he understood why.

Just as he raised his head, Ren abruptly froze.

And then he averted his gaze.

"Fujiwara… your collar."

"Eh?"

Fujiwara blinked in confusion.

Glancing down, she immediately noticed that the front of her yukata had come loose, revealing far more than it should have.

Realizing that Ren had just seen everything, her face instantly turned crimson.

She sprang to her feet and quickly adjusted her yukata, pulling the collar tightly shut.

Only after securing it properly did she let out a relieved sigh.

Ren's reaction mirrored hers.

His slightly messy curls, the absence of his usual glasses revealing more of his face, and that delicate yet serious expression, now tinged with a bit of red.

"Gulp~"

Fujiwara suddenly understood.

This must be why Sonoko was so drawn to him.

An innocent, introverted, and slightly shy boy like Ren, this kind of contrast was impossible for girls to resist.

Wait a minute—

Why am I the one who got seen, yet I'm the one feeling excited?!

"Ahem!"

Clearing her throat, Fujiwara broke the awkward silence.

"So, Amamiya… did you predict anything else?"

This time, she was extra careful, keeping a firm hold on her collar and making sure not to lean forward.

Ren exhaled quietly, seemingly regaining some composure.

"I found the reason behind the disturbances on this island."

"It's drug trafficking."

"!?"

Drug traffickers?

The expressions of the girls in the room changed immediately.

Of all criminal groups, drug traffickers were among the worst.

These kinds of people were ruthless.

And they wouldn't hesitate to use lethal force if they felt threatened.

Now, it made sense why so many evil spirits existed on this island.

Drug dealers didn't negotiate.

If they so much as suspected someone might expose them, they would kill without hesitation.

Even Fujiwara tensed up.

"Then… are we in danger?"

She had asked this question earlier, but now it had a completely different meaning.

"No."

Ren repeated his answer.

"The reason they chose this island is because of its proximity to Tokyo."

"But more importantly, it's an isolated archipelago where law enforcement is lax."

"If someone wanted to establish a drug trafficking hub and use this island as a gateway to Tokyo, this location would be ideal."

Hayasaka furrowed her brows and raised a hand.

"But there are still a lot of regular residents here. How are the traffickers avoiding detection?"

"Under normal circumstances, it would be difficult."

Ren shook his head.

"Any docking ships would be noticed by the locals."

"If anyone became suspicious, this place would no longer be safe for them."

"But if the local leadership is involved… then they wouldn't need to worry about being exposed."

Hayasaka's eyes widened as she immediately caught on.

"It's the Island owner, isn't it?"

-----------

Chapter 95: Sequence 6 – Faceless

"As long as you control the rights to this island and the drug trafficking channels, Tsukikage Island will become the perfect springboard."

"Because of that, the drug dealers are being extremely cautious."

"They've secured such a valuable island, why would they do anything to draw police attention here?"

"That's why they won't cause unnecessary trouble for themselves."

"And Shinomiya-san's reservation this time, was it intentionally kept discreet?"

Kaguya shook her head slightly.

"That's the key point."

Ren smiled and nodded, acknowledging that this was indeed crucial.

"The Shinomiya family is a major power. Those drug dealers wouldn't dare risk drawing police attention just to deal with us."

"They live on the edge of a knife, but they're not looking for trouble."

"It's far more beneficial for them to maintain their drug routes than to provoke the Shinomiya family for no reason."

"So, there's no need for us to worry about these drug dealers on this trip."

"As long as we don't cross their bottom line, they'll avoid us on their own."

"They wouldn't think that a group of young ladies came here just to disrupt their operations."

Indeed.

Even if the police were to investigate the island based on leads, it would have nothing to do with the Shinomiya family.

As long as Kaguya hadn't hidden her identity while making the reservation, then their presence on the island would be publicly known.

As long as they didn't dig into the drug dealers' affairs, they wouldn't have to worry about becoming targets.

"Still, aren't those drug dealers the reason for the evil spirits appearing in the first place?"

Fujiwara's question was valid.

But Ren simply smiled and shook his head.

"We're investigating the evil spirits but they don't know that."

"And since they don't understand our methods, how could they possibly know that we're investigating them?"

Fujiwara immediately understood.

Of course, the drug dealers wouldn't know.

It would be strange if they did.

"So, do we need to split up tomorrow?"

Ren gave a small nod.

"You'll need to explore the island and take in the sights."

"Mouri, Suzuki, and I will gather information on recent events here."

"If the evil spirits aren't an active threat, then as long as we stick with Saginomiya, there shouldn't be any issues."

"Just treat it as a vacation."

In situations like this, what people needed most was a reliable leader.

As long as someone took charge, the others would feel more at ease.

At the very least, their trip could continue.

It just wouldn't be as carefree as originally planned.


---

"Alright, it's getting late."

"We have a lot of ground to cover tomorrow, so we should get some rest."

Now that they knew the evil spirits wouldn't be a danger, and they didn't have to worry about the drug dealers, there was no reason to stay up worrying.

Instead, they should focus on enjoying themselves as much as possible.

"Yeah, let's get some sleep."

Fujiwara, having lost her earlier excitement, didn't object.

Now that she had relaxed, the post-bath drowsiness was creeping in.

"Kaguya, Hayasaka, let's sleep together tonight."

Saying this, Fujiwara pulled Kaguya and Hayasaka along with her to their room.

Seeing this, the others exchanged glances before also standing up.

"Isumi, Maria, let's go too."

"Yes."

Maria gave a small bow to Ren before leading Nagi and Isumi to their room.

"Amamiya, Ran and I are heading back too."

"Alright, have a good night."

"Got it! Ran and I will definitely sleep well."

With that, Sonoko pulled Ran along toward their room.

Soon, Ren was the only one left in the hotel lounge.

He didn't return to his room immediately.

Instead, he sat quietly.

The spirituality within him stirred slightly.

As it gradually calmed, Amamiya Ren slowly opened his eyes.

His Seer potion was digesting at a steady pace.

In less than two weeks without even making a conscious effort, it had already been more than halfway digested.

At this rate, it would only take another week before it was fully assimilated.

That meant it was time to start preparing the next potion.

Ever since stepping onto the Sequence Path and obtaining potions for three different pathways, Ren had been holding onto his diary entries.

Not because he couldn't acquire valuable items but because he wanted to focus on progressing along his chosen path.

After all, the diary had even granted Sefirah Castle.

If that was possible…

Perhaps he could obtain other Sefirot as well?

Honestly, Ren was looking forward to it.

Though whether he had that kind of luck remained to be seen.

For now, he could put the idea of acquiring a Sefirah on hold.

What mattered more at this moment was uniqueness.


---

Huh…

Let's begin.

Draw.

A large roulette wheel materialized before him.

With a light tap of his hand, it began to spin rapidly.

Gradually, it slowed to a stop.

…Once again, it was something from Lord of Mysteries.

Ren wasn't particularly surprised.

Ever since stepping onto the Sequence Path, his draws had become much more predictable.

Not that it was a bad thing.


---

[Obtained Sequence 6 Potion: Faceless]

"…"

Looking at the potion that had materialized before him, Ren let out a small sigh.

"Too soon."

He had only just begun his Sequence journey.

At the moment, he was only a low-sequence at Sequence 9.

Yet here he was already drawing a mid-sequence potion.

It was too early for this.

For now, he had no choice but to store the Faceless potion inside Sefirah Castle.

He couldn't use it yet but when the time came, it would prove invaluable.

Sometimes, accumulating too many draws wasn't necessarily a good thing.

Sure, he could get better potions this way.

But better didn't mean useful at this stage.

That was the dilemma.

Even so, he had learned something valuable about the draw system.

If enough draws were saved up, the quality of the rewards would indeed improve.

That knowledge would be crucial when he started seeking uniqueness and other high-level materials in the future.

But until his Sequence progressed further, he needed to be cautious about hoarding too many draws.

It would only increase the chances of obtaining potions he wasn't ready for yet.