Capítulo 50: Chapter 50: Ghost Survey
"Earthbound spirits are rare. They appear as white, glowing humanoid figures. I've heard they can only linger in places they loved while they were alive," the girl explained timidly, continuing to share her knowledge.
"I have a close friend whose mother passed away a long time ago. Not too long ago, I went to her house to visit and saw that her mother had turned into a ghost. She looked almost exactly as she did when she was alive. I could even hear her talking."
"She told me my friend was always home alone and felt lonely. She hoped I could spend more time with her. I was too scared to respond and pretended I hadn't seen her."
"I'm not sure what would happen if she found out I could see her."
Amamiya nodded slightly, reflecting on the information.
So, Miko's father's situation is that of an earthbound spirit. No wonder he's so different from the wandering evil spirits.
Unfortunately, knowing so little about earthbound spirits, pretending not to see them is the safest approach.
"...Dad."
A soft voice suddenly called out from behind.
Amemiya turned to see Rikka, the middle-schooler, with her eyes slightly red, tears welling up.
The cow lady ghost let out a surprised cry, "Did she just call you Daddy?"
"Don't talk nonsense," Amemiya said, exasperated. "Obviously, she didn't mean me."
"That's not necessarily true," Miss ghost retorted with a huff. "Don't think I don't know that you human men like it when girls call you 'Daddy.' Isn't there even an industry called 'Daddy's Life'?"
You know about 'that'? Wow, you're quite the up-to-date ghost.
Amemiya was curious. "How do you know so much?"
"There was a human in my ward once. I was bored, so I asked her to tell me a story to lift my spirits. She told me she was an author working on a light novel. I can't quite remember the title, but it was something like 'Seizing the Weakness of a High School Girl Whose Father is a Zombie and Forcing Her to Play the Dog Walking Game'."
The f@£k?
Meanwhile...
"Rikka-chan, what's wrong?" Chika asked with concern.
"I want to go home," Rikka sniffled, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. Her head drooped sadly. "Dad's probably all alone in our hometown, waiting for me and my sister to return."
Chika blinked, then reached out and gently stroked the top of Rikka's head, her voice soft. "Rikka-chan, don't cry. If you're that worried, you should go home and check on him. But make sure to stay safe."
"Mom... Earthbound spirit..." Hearing the conversation, Kaguya placed a hand over her chest, her long lashes casting shadows on her face.
"Um... Can I have some food, please?" the girl asked cautiously.
Kaguya sighed softly and turned to Amemiya. "Natsuki-san."
"Got it," Amemiya nodded.
The transaction was complete, and now it was time for milking.
The cow lady ghost lay on the bed, gnawing on leeks while grumbling, "Eighteen times... eighteen people! I haven't had a minute to rest! I'll remember all of you humans!"
"Yeah, yeah," Amemiya responded absently. "So, do you want me to blindfold you?"
"I'm going to eat you!"
"..."
After drinking a glass of milk, the girl's hunger was satisfied, and she expressed her gratitude before preparing to leave.
"Wait a moment," Kaguya said coolly, crossing her arms over her chest. "There's one more thing."
"Huh?"
"Describe the 'patient' in your ward. The more details, the better."
The girl looked startled. "Why do you need that?"
"Better to be prepared," Kaguya replied, her gaze shifting to Chika. "Fujiwara-san."
"Here I am!" Chika chirped, stepping forward in her secretary role. She handed the girl a sheet of paper. "Please fill this out."
The player stared at the paper in disbelief. It was a questionnaire, asking for details like the ward number, the identity of the vengeful spirit sharing the ward, the spirit's desires, and any speculations she had about it.
Where was the horror game they were promised? Why were they now filling out surveys?
Everyone else was struggling to survive, yet here they were—running a questionnaire?
"Hurry up, please," Chika gently urged. "The hallway's going to get dark soon."
"Sorry!" The girl quickly apologized, then sat down to complete the form, her mind a swirl of complicated emotions.
A short while later, she handed in the form, bid a quick farewell, and left.
As darkness descended, the door closed, marking the end of the transaction.
"Finally! No more leeks!" The cow lady ghost flopped onto the bed, her face a picture of despair. "I almost threw up!"
Don't worry. You won't throw up.
According to the law of conservation of energy, all those leeks have been converted into energy now.
To be safe, Amemiya sat near the ghost, keeping a close eye on her. Though she appeared obedient, lying down in defeat, she was still a spirit, and caution was necessary.
If she bites with that mouth full of razor teeth, it could shatter bones.
"So, what do we do next?" Asuya, the second girl who had chosen to stick with Amemiya, raised her hand and asked timidly.
"Consolidate intelligence, analyze clues, and extract key details," Kaguya said, glancing at the questionnaire in her hand. "In games like these, information is the most valuable resource. Making guesses without evidence is meaningless. The proper way to complete tasks is to analyze and gather data."
All the players who had previously traded for food had filled out a questionnaire. Since it didn't involve any personal information, no one minded. In fact, many players cooperated, hoping Amemiya's group would visit them for another friendly chat.
"Ahem... that makes sense," Asuya coughed lightly, feeling a bit guilty. Though she didn't fully grasp what Kaguya was saying, it sounded impressive.
As expected from a boss—sticking with the right people pays off!
Kaguya skimmed through the questionnaires quickly, finishing them in no time before handing them to Chika. "Everyone, take a look and share your thoughts."
Even decision-makers needed to consider a variety of opinions before making final calls.
"Are we seriously discussing this like we're in a meeting?" Asuya's thoughts grew more conflicted. The game was feeling less like a horror survival and more like a corporate strategy session.
A short while later...
"Amamiya-kun, here you go." Chika handed him the stack of questionnaires. "We've all finished reading them."
Amemiya flipped through the papers, reading carefully.
The first entry detailed the player's experience with a succubus as their cohabiting "patient."
Dark skin.
Sharp fangs.
A pair of devilish wings on its back, with a tail trailing behind.
Very revealing clothing.
Red, slit-like pupils that gleamed menacingly.
And finally, the player's parting note:
"It feels like it wants to eat me... but I'm a girl!"
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