"So that's how it is..."
Though Miko's intellect wasn't on par with Rio Futaba's, seeing that the hospital basement housed the mortuary where corpses were stored, she instantly understood everything.
This supernatural phenomenon wasn't closely related to the Gate.
The deceased people appearing in the wards and seen by patients weren't evil spirits, or rather, they could be considered evil spirits.
Only, they were evil spirits that had taken over dead bodies to move about.
"These bastards... how treacherous."
Kyoto Municipal Hospital, as the highest-level and most patient-receiving hospital in Kyoto, naturally housed the largest number of corpses in its morgue.
In contrast, places like crematoriums, due to their rapid processing speed, might not even have as many bodies stored as Kyoto Municipal Hospital.
Rio Futaba and Miko Yotsuya didn't believe this was just a sudden coincidence.
It was obvious.
Whatever was orchestrating things behind the scenes, one thing was certain—the evil spirits were conducting an experiment.
Just like psychics.
To evade the principle of "observation," they committed mass slaughter in the real world. Similarly, the evil spirits were attempting to create more of those monsters fused with human bodies.
The problem was...
Those evil spirits, occupying human bodies and moving around, would undoubtedly be caught on surveillance cameras.
Corpses delivered to the morgue during the day were wandering around at night.
How could the hospital's management not report such a major incident to the police?
It completely defied normal logic.
Rio Futaba frowned slightly, adjusted her glasses, and pondered incessantly.
The only plausible explanation...
Was that the hospital's management had also been possessed by evil spirits.
An evil spirit capable of achieving this without the presence of a nearby Gate...
Was likely from the Reverse World.
Rio Futaba gave Miko Yotsuya a meaningful look. Understanding, Miko stepped forward again and smiled gently at Menma.
"Menma, can I ask why you've been staying here all this time?"
Though Menma was a spectre, she retained her human intellect and was utterly guileless, replying with a simple, cheerful smile.
"I don't know where else I can go. Besides, my friend is here."
"Your friend? A human?"
"Yeah, she lives in this hospital."
Hearing that Menma's friend was human and resided in the hospital, both Rio Futaba and Miko Yotsuya were startled.
Given that none of the patients passing through the corridor noticed Menma standing by the window, it was clear she was an ordinary spectre, invisible to normal people.
So the human who could see her...
Must be a psychic with extraordinary talent, just like Miko Yotsuya.
Realising this, Rio Futaba immediately took two steps forward and asked softly,
"Menma, could you take us to meet your friend?"
"Um..."
Menma cautiously studied Rio Futaba and Miko Yotsuya for a few seconds before finally nodding with a smile.
"Okay. You two don't seem like bad people."
Hearing Menma's words and seeing her lively, adorable demeanour, Rio Futaba and Miko Yotsuya felt relieved yet heavy-hearted.
Such a young child...
What kind of intense lingering attachment had turned her into a lonely spirit wandering this world?
As a famous saying goes:
Tragedy is the tearing apart of something beautiful for all to see.
In just a brief conversation, Rio Futaba and Miko Yotsuya had already grown fond of this sweet little girl named Menma.
The more endearing Menma's personality was, the heavier their hearts grew when the two of them realised she was already dead.
Menma skipped along, humming a tune as she led Rio Futaba and Miko Yotsuya to the door of a hospital room.
"Shoko, I'm here!"
Rio Futaba and Miko Yotsuya entered the room together. They saw a girl with smooth black-blue hair, beautiful blue eyes, pale skin that made her look somewhat frail, and a petite figure wearing a hospital gown sitting on the bed, gazing absentmindedly at the sky outside the window.
At the sound of Menma's voice, the girl turned her head, her face serene and peaceful. Though her features hadn't fully matured yet, it was clear she would grow into a beauty.
"Men—"
The girl's words stopped halfway as she noticed Rio Futaba and Miko Yotsuya standing behind Menma. A flicker of something strange passed through her eyes, and she immediately changed her tone.
"May I ask who you two are?"
Rio Futaba and Miko Yotsuya exchanged glances, both thinking the same thing.
What a quick change of expression!
What a calm shift in topic.
Judging by the girl's age, she couldn't be older than fourth or fifth grade.
Such quick reactions and mental fortitude—she'd make excellent exorcist material!
If she weren't so young, they might have even started considering how to recruit her into the Supernatural Society...
Wait a minute.
Wasn't that the kind of thing Ye Xing would do?
Oh no. They'd been influenced by him.
"Shoko, there's no need to pretend," Menma said, moving to Shoko Makinohara's bedside and taking her hand with a smile. "They can see me too."
"They can see you, too?"
Hearing this, Shoko Makinohara didn't relax in the slightest. Instead, she weakly got out of bed, shielding Menma behind her. Her petite frame stood between Rio Futaba and Miko Yotsuya as she asked warily, "Are you... here to destroy her?"
"Huh?"
Miko Yotsuya quickly waved her hands, letting out a surprised laugh. "Of course not! Menma hasn't done anything to harm humans—why would we destroy her?"
Only then did Shoko Makinohara exhale slightly in relief. "If that's the case, then that's good."
After clearing up the misunderstanding, Rio Futaba and Miko Yotsuya asked in detail about the recent incidents at Kyoto Municipal Hospital and how Shoko Makinohara and Menma had met.
Shoko Makinohara, currently in the fourth grade of elementary school, suffered from a severe congenital heart condition that was difficult to cure with modern medical treatments.
From as far back as she could remember, she had been in and out of hospitals.
Around early spring this year, Shoko Makinohara's condition worsened.
It was during this hospitalisation that she encountered Menma, who wandered the halls of Kyoto Municipal Hospital.
At first, Shoko could only see a faint white silhouette.
As time passed and her health deteriorated day by day... Menma's form and features grew increasingly distinct, until now she could be seen with perfect clarity.
Due to frequent hospital stays, Shoko had few friends.
Though Menma was a spirit, her personality remained unchanged from when she was alive. Being around the same age, the two naturally formed a friendship.
Shoko never told anyone about Menma—not even her parents.
After all, seeing ghosts and befriending them wasn't something ordinary people would believe. They'd assume the stress had given her mental health issues.
Even if her parents did believe her...
They'd only call in those exorcists or whatever.
Shoko didn't want Menma driven away, so she kept the truth hidden.
As for the rumours of spirits appearing at midnight?
Shoko went to bed early every night and had never personally witnessed these so-called ghosts.
"I see..."
After hearing Shoko's account, Rio Futaba and Miko Yotsuya nodded, now having a general understanding of the situation.
"This is quite problematic..."
Rio habitually adjusted her glasses, her mind racing as she realised just how difficult this supernatural case would be to handle.
Setting aside the potential power of facing one or multiple evil spirits...
Kyoto Municipal Hospital's population density was simply too high. Any confrontation would inevitably endanger innocent bystanders.
If this were somewhere else—a school or a shopping mall, for instance—it wouldn't be so bad.
At worst, Ye Xing could negotiate with Soichiro Yagami (Kyoto's most square-jawed official) in his Mask persona, getting the Metropolitan Police Department's Criminal Affairs Director to fabricate some excuse for evacuating the area.
But a hospital wasn't somewhere you could just evacuate on a whim.
Many critically ill patients lacked even consciousness, let alone those undergoing emergency treatment.
Rash relocation would be tantamount to killing them.
"Thank you for the information."
Rio said calmly before standing up with Miko to leave.
Shoko parted her lips, finally speaking up just as they were about to exit the room.
"Will... the people in the hospital be in danger?"
Miko turned back, her golden eyes filled with gentle reassurance.
"Don't worry. We became exorcists to protect Kyoto."
"Besides..."
"We've got the city's number one exorcist on our side."
Rio adjusted her glasses and deadpanned:
"You mean the eroge shooter?"
"Don't say that. Miss Makinohara here is still young."
"Oh."
Watching Rio and Miko depart, Menma's mouth fell slightly open, her eyes shining with excitement.
"Shoko, Shoko."
She tugged at Shoko's sleeve.
"Those two sisters are so cool!"
Shoko Makinohara smiled softly and nodded in agreement.
"Yes, they are indeed very cool."
...
Meanwhile, Kyoto's top exorcist, as described by Miko Yotsuya, the eroge shooter according to Rio Futaba, Sobu High School's most notorious villain, Japan's most heinous criminal, inheritor of polygamy, the reincarnation of Minamoto no Yoshitsune, and bearer of the innate abstract holy body - Lord Ye Xing - was currently accompanying the Kawasaki sisters.
Little Keika Kawasaki, her cheeks flushed red, lay on a hospital bed receiving an IV drip.
Her fever had reached over 38 degrees, yet she'd been stubbornly enduring it.
Fortunately, they'd come early enough - any later and serious complications might have arisen.
"Big brother..."
Even in her sleep, Keika Kawasaki murmured these words, her small face radiating happiness.
Saki Kawasaki, sitting by the bedside, couldn't help but sigh helplessly at her sister's sleep-talking, massaging her temples as she glanced at Ye Xing sitting opposite her.
"My sister really likes you, doesn't she?"
"Tch, what kind of talk is that?"
Ye Xing waved his hand dismissively with a laugh.
"How could anyone in this world possibly dislike me?"
Saki Kawasaki pursed her lips in exasperation.
"There are plenty at school who dislike you, aren't there?"
"Hmm? Not at all."
Ye Xing maintained his relaxed smile as he spoke.
"I don't even consider them people."
Saki frowned slightly and sighed quietly.
"It's precisely this terrible personality of yours that leaves you with so few friends."
Ye Xing countered.
"Aren't you my friend?"
"Eh?"
Saki froze momentarily before her face flushed slightly. Fidgeting awkwardly, she tried to mask her embarrassment with a stiff tone.
"W-what nonsense are you... spouting!"
Ye Xing chuckled teasingly.
"Honestly, your defences are way too low. I haven't even started being serious yet - just a casual remark."
Ye Xing had come to realise something.
The more cold and aloof a beautiful girl appeared on the surface, the more absurdly low their emotional defences tended to be.
Like Saki Kawasaki before him.
Like Kazusa Touma.
Like Yukino Yukinoshita...
Well, her defences weren't exactly low - she just exposed her weaknesses whenever Haruno was mentioned.
"Um..."
Saki composed herself and glanced shyly at Ye Xing, mustering all her courage to stammer out:
"T-today... and the part-time job you introduced... I... I owe it all to you. Th-thank you."
Saki wasn't an ungrateful person.
She remembered every favour Ye Xing had done for her.
Like accompanying her today to take her sister for medical treatment.
Or introducing her to that cosplay costume-making job - something that matched her interests, could be done at home, wasn't too strenuous, and paid well.
He'd even introduced her to Marin Kitagawa, a professional with extensive cosplay knowledge.
Even the material costs for her initial practice sessions had been covered by the Supernatural Society's activity funds.
Someone like her - Saki was certain Ye Xing hadn't helped her expecting anything in return.
Despite his outward appearance...
He was actually quite a kind and gentle person.
"Ye Xing."
Hearing the voices at the door and seeing Rio Futaba and Miko Yotsuya standing outside, Saki Kawasaki spoke to Ye Xing in the gentlest tone she'd ever mustered in her life.
"You go ahead. I'll stay here with Keika."
"Alright."
Ye Xing responded briefly before leaving the ward, closing the door behind him.
...
Ten minutes later, Rio Futaba had relayed all the clues gathered along the way, including their encounters with Menma and Shoko Makinohara, recounting everything in detail.
"So that's how it is."
Ye Xing nodded slightly, thinking this made perfect sense.
It seemed the first tarot card "Death" in Godmother Granny's divination held no profound meaning beyond its most literal interpretation.
Death.
Not the death of Supernatural Society members, but rather foretelling important figures the members would encounter.
Whether it was Menma – Honma Meiko – a rare ghost with no malice towards humans.
Or Shoko Makinohara, who had gradually awakened her Mystic Eyes as her physical condition deteriorated.
Both were connected to death.
After all, one was already dead, while the other was halfway into the grave.
This was perfectly logical.
"An evil spirit that can possess corpses..."
Seeing Ye Xing deep in thought, Rio Futaba added.
"Or it could be a special evil spirit with the ability to manipulate human corpses."
"Either way, it's extremely dangerous."
Ordinary evil spirits cannot harm humans.
But the evil spirit appearing at Kyoto Municipal Hospital, whether capable of possessing human corpses or manipulating them, posed extreme danger.
"Indeed."
Ye Xing nodded gravely.
"Terrifying. If this bastard started sneaking into ICU wards every night to pull out tubes while nurses weren't looking, imagine how many people would die."
"Er..."
Both Rio Futaba and Miko Yotsuya froze at this.
This thought...
While outrageous, upon reflection, it did seem like the most efficient and rapid method to cause human deaths?
A few deaths in the ICU would hardly raise suspicion.
Thank goodness Ye Xing was on humanity's side.
If he ever died and became an evil spirit, with such unpredictable thinking, what exorcist could possibly exorcise him?
A normal exorcist wouldn't assume paranormal activity just because people die in hospitals.
If anything...
It would be strange if people didn't die in hospitals.
"Looks like I'll have to get serious this time," Ye Xing said with a grave expression before taking out his phone to dial a number.
"Hey, hey, Mai? It's me."
"Nothing special, just wanted to ask if you're free tonight."
Under the astonished gazes of Miko Yotsuya and Rio Futaba, Ye Xing dropped a bombshell.
"Free? Then how about sleeping with me tonight?"
"Great, I'll send you the address later."
After hanging up, before Rio and Miko could even react, Ye Xing immediately dialled another number and repeated nearly identical words to invite Yui Yuigahama and Kazusa Touma.
The two girls were dumbfounded.
Damn, you've got some nerve!
Inviting three club members to spend the night together at once?
Isn't this just asking for a bloodbath?
"Wait..."
Rio Futaba removed her glasses with a complicated expression, rubbing her temples before sighing heavily.
"Aren't you afraid of starting a fight by inviting five people to your place at once?"
"Five people?" Ye Xing countered. "Where are you getting five from?"
"Me, Miko, plus the three you just invited."
"Huh?"
Ye Xing looked genuinely puzzled.
"Who said you two were invited?"
"Oh, right, this doesn't concern you. Go home and rest, or maybe go exorcise some evil spirits around Kyoto - whatever you want."
"Don't interrupt my sleepover with Dango, Kazusa Touma and Mai."
"Off you go now, bye bye."