It was well into the afternoon when Shion finally reached her much-anticipated break.
She had been working tirelessly since morning, her shift extending well past noon.
While the other maids, Iori Shigure among them, had already rotated through their shifts twice, Shion was only now granted a moment of respite.
In her mind, she had already used the Spirit Cutter to pummel the Class Monitor’s head, leaving it bruised and lumpy at least three or four times over.
She recalled her morning promise to Ayane: she would come to watch her sister’s play, and only after the curtain fell would she return to her class to complete her final shift, thus officially concluding her duties for the day.
A sigh escaped Shion’s lips as she pushed open the changing room door, the thought lingering in her mind.
She had finally changed back into her everyday school uniform, a welcome relief compared to the outlandish maid attire.
This was far superior.
At the very least, she no longer had to slink through the school halls like some covert assassin or ninja.
With a slight push of determination, Shion immediately set off, dashing towards E Class.
A grand signboard adorned the entrance of E Class, its surface emblazoned with the play’s title in exquisite calligraphic script, flanked by promotional photos of the lead actors, some radiating charm, others a captivating handsomeness.
The first in the second row was Ayane’s promotional photo, where she was depicted in a Miko outfit, holding a Kagura suzu.
It appeared to be a still from her performing a Kagura dance, exuding an aura of ethereal beauty, pure white innocence, and untainted grace.
Only Shion knew that Ayane had spent a considerable amount of time learning this very movement from her, nearly stumbling several times in the process.
After all, Ayane wasn’t the one who typically performed the Kagura dance, so it was… normal for her not to know the steps, wasn’t it?
No, it wasn’t normal at all.
Shion performed the Kagura dance at every festival, both large and small, each year; even her nascent self at the beginning of the game possessed the muscle memory for it.
Yet, Ayane, despite watching every single performance, still couldn’t commit the movements to heart.
A small laugh involuntarily escaped Shion’s lips as this thought crossed her mind.
Beyond the striking promotional photos of the actors, there was also one dedicated to the playwright.
Indeed, though not a student of E Class, Kujou Sakuya had also posed for a beautiful promotional photo.
The black-haired girl gently held the corner of her glasses, as if to conceal her light, ink-colored pupils, which were as profound as the deepest ocean abyss.
With her other hand, she cradled a cream-colored script, presenting an image of quiet elegance and refined grace.
“This photo has been edited a little too heavily,” a soft but troubled voice drifted from behind Shion.
“I barely recognize myself in it.”
Shion turned her head, her gaze meeting Sakuya’s profound, ink-colored pupils.
Shion shook her head, a gentle smile gracing her lips.
“No, it truly captures you, and you look absolutely beautiful.”
Kujou Sakuya let out a soft chuckle.
“Is that so? I’m glad you like it.
On another note, the first performance of the play this afternoon just concluded.
Your timing is a little off; the second showing won’t begin for a while yet.”
“I’m simply here to await the second showing,” Shion clarified, glancing at the time displayed on her phone.
“I’ve come to watch my sister’s performance.”
Kujou Sakuya’s lips twitched, and she added, almost as an afterthought, “And don’t forget my script, of course.”
“Alright, alright, I’ll watch everything, I promise!” Shion said with a playful dismissiveness.
“But speaking of which, Kujou-san, what about your class’s activity?”
“Ah… it’s a haunted house,” Kujou Sakuya confessed, turning her head slightly, as if finding the admission a little difficult.
“I helped with the set design, but the decorations are rather ordinary, and the students portraying the ghosts tend to break character a bit too often.
Consequently, the admission fee is quite low…”
Upon hearing the words ‘haunted house,’ a glint sparked in Shion’s eyes.
While she wasn’t entirely immune to fear, her reaction was akin to craving spicy food: she might be a little scared, but she just couldn’t resist the urge to experience it.
“Does it take a long time?” Shion swiftly followed up with another question.
“No, not long at all,” Kujou Sakuya replied.
“How elaborate can a haunted house be when it’s confined to a single classroom? You can be in and out in less than five minutes.”
Her voice trailed off as a sudden realization dawned on her.
“Hoshimori-san, you’re not actually considering… are you?”
“Well?” Shion asked, likely oblivious to the eager glint that now shone in her eyes.
Kujou Sakuya gently patted her chest, then gave a small nod of assent.
****
Right next to E Class was D Class, and their haunted house exhibit was strikingly obvious.
Both the classroom door and the display board positioned before it were emblazoned with the bold characters for ‘Haunted House,’ accompanied by whimsical drawings of several small white ghosts.
Despite the clear intention to evoke a sense of dread, the overall effect was, inexplicably, rather charming.
At the entrance, a girl meticulously dressed as a vampire was busily distributing flyers, her voice ringing out cheerily: “Haunted house, haunted house! Come experience our brand-new haunted attraction! It’s fun and affordable for everyone!”
Spotting Kujou Sakuya and Shion, the vampire girl immediately waved them over.
“Kujou-san! And the Maid Chief from A Class! Come and explore our haunted house!”
“Oh? You… you know me?” Shion inquired, a hint of surprise in her voice.
The vampire girl nodded enthusiastically.
“Of course! I visited A Class during my break today and specifically requested you, Maid Chief!”
“Hiss~” Shion instinctively drew a sharp breath.
She had served an overwhelming number of guests today, far too many to recall each face, especially with the added challenge of the girl before her being meticulously made up as a vampire.
Even if she could somehow remember the encounter, Shion would never have been able to connect this elaborate disguise to a specific person.
Nevertheless, despite her inability to place the girl, Shion offered a warm smile.
“I sincerely hope my service was to your satisfaction~” she said.
The vampire girl grinned, giving a hearty thumbs-up.
“Extremely satisfied! If I get another chance during my afternoon shift, I’ll definitely visit again!”
Kujou Sakuya regarded Shion with a flicker of surprise.
“I had no idea you were the Maid Chief,” she remarked.
“Oh, that’s merely a designated role,” Shion smoothly deflected, employing the very same line the Class Monitor often used.
“In any case, welcome to the Nightmare Haunted House~” the vampire girl chirped, leading Shion and Kujou Sakuya into the classroom.
True to its nature as a haunted house, the interior was exceptionally dark, shrouded in an oppressive gloom.
They had only just stepped inside the classroom, not yet venturing into the main section of the haunted house, but already the air was thick with shadows, illuminated solely by a single, unwavering oil lamp casting a faint, flickering yellow glow.
“Wh-whoa…” Shion heard a faint whimper from behind her, a sound that she recognized as Kujou Sakuya’s distressed cry.
“Kujou-san, what’s the matter? Are you feeling unwell?” Shion asked, turning her head to face her.
Kujou Sakuya shook her head, managing only a painfully strained smile.
“No, no, I’m fine,” she insisted.
“Let’s g-go inside.”
“Whoosh, whoosh~” A strangely endearing growl suddenly erupted from the side.
While far from truly terrifying, it was enough to make Kujou Sakuya, positioned behind Shion, shiver uncontrollably and instinctively grasp Shion’s hand.
Shion, however, immediately recognized the sound as belonging to the vampire girl who had ushered them inside, allowing her to remain relatively composed.
The vampire girl dropped her playfully menacing expression, now holding two small lamps.
“These are for you,” she explained.
“It might still be a bit dark, but this should make it less frightening.
We don’t give anything to the boys who come through here, you know.”
A small, mischievous chuckle escaped the vampire girl as she covered her mouth with her hand.
Though the small lamps emitted only a modest glow, that faint illumination was enough for Shion to discern Kujou Sakuya’s face in the encroaching darkness.
It was, admittedly, quite pale…
In fact, now that she thought about it, seeing Sakuya’s pale face in the dim light actually made the scene even more unsettling!
“Alright then, let’s go in,” Shion whispered softly to Kujou Sakuya, her eyes already fixed intently on the entrance to the haunted house.
“I-I understand…” Kujou Sakuya’s grip on Shion’s arm tightened almost painfully.
Despite the warmth of summer, her hands trembled as violently as if she were exposed to the biting cold of winter without gloves.