Before entering the haunted house, Ei still had a little preparation to do.
He leaned in close to the two Round Table Knights and whispered in their ears.
"I need you two to be my wingmen again this time. Try your best to create opportunities for Baobhan Sith and me. Please. I'll treat you to yakiniku tonight."
"Wingmen? Like at the mixer last time?"
"...Last time, all you did was make the mixer atmosphere more awkward. I earnestly beg you to correct that this time." Ei advised him sincerely.
"Leave it to us," Gawain assured him with a look that needed no further explanation. "I had to be reserved before because the Lady Mother was present, but this time, I will certainly help you reach a successful conclusion. I shall support your romance!"
"You dared to flirt with your own sister while Morgan was around. I dread to think what you'll do when she's not here..." Ei muttered faintly.
This test of courage would surely involve the Suspension Bridge Effect and chances to be alone. As long as the two Round Table Knights were somewhat reliable and the process went smoothly, he could significantly boost Baobhan Sith's favorability.
Baobhan Sith was also constantly observing him, trying to find and imitate the excellent qualities that charmed Morgan. In other words, Baobhan Sith would be more attentive to his words and actions than usual. This was a golden opportunity to showcase himself.
But the problem was the haunted house itself.
He hadn't properly investigated before inviting her, and now, looking back, this test of courage seemed a hundred times scarier than he thought. All the Servants were running away. If he showed a cowardly and pathetic side in front of Baobhan Sith, it would be a huge embarrassment.
But he was already at the entrance. He couldn't back down now. He had to grit his teeth and push forward!
He'd played FGO for so many years; he'd seen it all. How scary could a Chaldea haunted house be? It'd just be familiar faces, right? At most, they'd put in a big-eyed Caster Gilles, throw in some gore and tentacles, arrange a few ghosts and Dragon Tooth Warriors, and add some more bizarre elements. That was probably it!
How terrifying could that possibly be?
"God..."
Just as Ei was thinking this, a figure stumbled out.
It was Caster Gilles de Rais. He crawled and scrambled out of the haunted house door, shaking like a leaf, unable to walk or speak properly.
"My God! I have seen the scenes of Hell! It is so inhumane! I will reform myself from now on! Please give me a chance to be a new man, aahhhhhhh!" Caster Gilles' desperate scream echoed far away.
Holy crap, even Caster Gilles was terrified like that after going in! I've truly never seen this before!
Damn, even the most deranged and bloodthirsty person was scared into this state. What kind of nightmare den is in there?
"..."
The four of them exchanged glances.
The air suddenly went silent.
After a moment, Ei slowly spoke.
"...Baobhan Sith, if you're scared, we can just go back, you know."
"Who would be afraid of something like this?" Baobhan Sith scoffed. "Who do you take me for? If you're scared, just say so. Don't use me as an excuse to run away."
"Haha, you actually think I'd be scared? I'm a staunch materialist! I never believe in ghosts or gods!" (Though, strictly speaking, all the Servants present were technically ghosts.)
But since things had escalated this far, there was no turning back.
[...]
[The four of you broke into the haunted house converted from the old school building.]
[The old school building was eerily silent, with no sign of anyone, only faint, dappled moonlight. You occasionally heard the dripping of a leaky faucet from the restroom, or the sound of footsteps coming from some classroom. Half-written notes were still on the blackboard, as if someone had been using the room not long ago.]
[The hallway was pitch dark, and the pale moonlight hitting your faces made you look utterly bloodless.]
[You didn't see anything or experience any jump scares on the first-floor hallway. But when you tried to head up to the second floor, you found the roller door leading upstairs was locked.]
"No way through," Ei said, looking at the locked roller door with confusion. And it seemed to be magically reinforced; probably no amount of high-level Strength could pry it open.
"Don't just stand there like an idiot. There are two keys on the table," Baobhan Sith pointed to a nearby table.
The keys were engraved with a Sakura pattern.
"Amazing that you even noticed that."
"Who do you think I am?" Baobhan Sith laughed haughtily.
Thinking about it, Baobhan Sith had vampire-like characteristics, which definitely gave her an advantage in this dark environment. In fact, she probably felt safer in the darkness than in daylight, which is why she wasn't scared of a haunted house. Ei thought Baobhan Sith might be the most reliable person among them.
As Baobhan Sith picked up a key, the ceiling speaker suddenly crackled to life.
A female voice suddenly broke the silence, making their hearts jump.
It was the Moon AI, BB-chan's voice.
"Ta-da! Welcome to BB-chan's carefully crafted Horror House! You are about to spend an unforgettable night here—a Test of Courage full of passion and infinite beautiful memories~"
"Well, well. It's BB. She certainly has too much free time." Ei couldn't help but complain.
Although her tone sounded lighthearted, the danger was undeniable. He was getting genuinely scared now. No wonder this haunted house had scared off so many Servants. Having BB create a horror house was the perfect choice; a succubus-type Servant like her would surely come up with many torturous ideas.
"This Moon Horror House has a total of seven floors. Senpai-tachi, you only need to climb to the very top floor to clear the challenge."
"However, the stairs on each floor are locked, and you need to find the Sakura Keys. Most floors will have staff dressed as monster NPCs to scare you and prevent you from completing the trial. Good luck, everyone~ Come find BB-chan at the top floor~"
In short, it was a tower climb, then? It didn't sound too difficult.
The broadcast sounded again.
"First, the challenge for the first floor, please listen carefully~"
BB's wicked laugh came through.
"To pass the first floor, Senpai-tachi must split up. There are two staircases on the first floor leading in different directions. Please ensure at least one person from your team takes the other route."
"Oh..."
Ei nodded thoughtfully. Splitting up was the most common trope in horror movies. It isolates the team, forces them to act alone, and creates a sense of tense vulnerability.
But this wasn't necessarily a bad thing; in fact, it played right into his hands. This way, he could legitimately create a chance to be alone with Baobhan Sith.
Gawain and Tristan understood perfectly, constantly winking at him and signaling: "The opportunity is here! Tristan (or Gawain) and I will take the right path!"
"Oh, dear," Tristan spoke slowly. "To advance the challenge, I suppose I must take the other route. How sad. I hope we can meet again soon." (He deadpanned the line.)
Gawain cooperated well, saying: "How can you do that, Sir Tristan? What if you run into danger alone? Let me accompany you to the right route."
"..."
Ei was instantly touched. His two good brothers understood immediately; they were true masters of social maneuvering.
However, the three of them looked up at the sign for the other route.
It read: "Idiot-Only Route."
"...Figures. Copying Grand Blue again," Ei said.
The two Round Table Knights silently pulled their feet back.
"Ah, well..." Tristan said quietly. "I don't think I'm qualified for this route."
"What are you talking about, Sir Tristan? This route was tailor-made for you. You should go alone," Gawain said.
Ei sighed: "Stop stalling. Both of you, get over there right now."
"I think all three of you should take that route," Baobhan Sith said, wearing a look of utter exasperation.