บท 146: Chapter 146: I will remember this grudge!
After picking up the prawns, Amamiya stood up as if nothing had happened, continuing to help wash the ingredients.
It wasn't until the initial preparations were finished that Hayasaka spoke again, her voice calm:
"Please leave the rest to me. Natsuki-san can go now."
Amamiya nodded, gesturing toward the cupboard.
"The apron's in there. Help yourself."
His cooking skills were average, just enough for basic tasks like washing and cutting vegetables. Compared to a professional maid, he was clearly outclassed. The actual cooking? That had to be left to someone more capable.
"Got it."
Hayasaka gave a small nod and reached out to open the cupboard, intending to grab the apron.
And then—
Her hand froze mid-air.
Inside the closet was a spider-like evil spirit, its back covered with dozens of tiny, scarlet eyes. As soon as Hayasaka opened the door, those eyes fixated on her, watching intently.
"You... can see me?"
A hollow, raspy voice echoed in her ears.
Hayasaka: "..."
Damn it, damn it, damn it!
Another close call! Almost got exposed again!
Why was there an evil spirit in the cupboard? Didn't we just cleanse this place with spirit wards? Did it sneak in from outside?
"You... can see me?"
The spider spirit's many eyes glowed red, as if ready to crawl out.
Silently cursing her fate, Hayasaka bit the tip of her tongue, keeping her facial expression under strict control. With sheer willpower, she forced herself to think, 'You can't see it, you can't see it,' over and over again in her mind. Expressionless, she reached into the cupboard, grabbed the apron, and shut the door.
Bang.
The door slammed shut.
After confirming the spider spirit hadn't followed her out, a mist welled up in Hayasaka's eyes. She gritted her teeth, quickly turned on the faucet, and began washing her hands in a fury.
Half an hour later, Hayasaka stepped out of the kitchen. Her gaze landed on Amamiya's face as she calmly announced:
"Everyone can wash their hands. The food's ready."
"Hm?"
Amamiya looked momentarily surprised.
For some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that the maid's gaze held a certain... resentment. As if she was glaring at someone who had abandoned her during a haunted house trip.
After lunch, the cooldown period for the coin toss was finally over, and now it was Umi's turn to toss.
The lively gyaru followed the same routine—blowing on the coin with a solemn expression before tossing it into the air.
The result was predictable.
Tails again.
The streak of bad luck continued for the unlucky girl.
"Oh, what a shame."
"Bad luck's struck again, Umi-chan. Don't move."
By now, everyone had figured out a simple rule: having bad luck didn't mean the world was falling apart—it was just a run of misfortune. The best thing to do? Sit tight and wait it out, responding to chaos by staying perfectly still.
Kaguya sat gracefully, taking a sip of her afternoon tea. In her composed and elegant posture, she said, "Once the bad luck subsides, we'll head out and test the bait plan's effectiveness."
Amamiya, who hadn't had the chance to play any games in the morning, switched on his console and got ready to dive into some gaming. Upon hearing Kaguya, he casually remarked, "Good luck, everyone."
According to Kaguya's deduction, the malevolent spirit had been hiding, most likely because of him. After all, the spirit demonstrated a certain level of intelligence and knew how to avoid danger.
Thus, Amamiya planned to remain at home that afternoon, while the girls will head out on a shopping trip together after the bad luck debuff ends.
Amamiya had already copied and transferred abilities, with Kaguya and Chika using their combined "Evil Sweeper" skill, while Umi had the ability to disperse malevolent spirits. The three girls, working together, were more than capable of handling the situation if the spirit appeared.
As Amamiya prepared to play 'Black Myth' on his gaming platform, he suddenly felt a pair of eyes staring at him.
"Stare—"
He turned his head, noticing Kaguya gazing at him, her expression slightly vacant.
"Can we play 'Street Fighter' on the TV?" Kaguya asked casually, as if nothing had happened.
Understanding her unspoken desire, Amamiya handed over a controller. "Want to play a couple of rounds?"
"Since you offered, Natsuki-san..." Kaguya accepted the controller, kneeling next to him. Glancing at the screen, she added, "Let's play for a bit."
Their eyes met, and in that moment, they both understood what was at stake.
"It's time to settle things again."
The first match concluded swiftly. Amamiya lost without much resistance.
"Huh?" Amamiya looked at her in surprise. "You've improved?"
A faint smile tugged at the corners of Kaguya's lips as she responded, "Three days away, and one must look at someone with fresh eyes."
Kaguya had not forgotten the bitter defeat she suffered in the arcade while doing the hundred-player challenge, losing ten times in a row.
She, Kaguya, held grudges deeply. Defeats were meant to be avenged, and she had been secretly practicing ever since.
"Not bad," Amamiya admitted, narrowing his gaze. "In that case, I'll have to take this seriously."
Kaguya brushed a strand of black hair behind her ear. "I've just finished warming up."
Their eyes locked again, and an unspoken tension filled the room as they both readied themselves for battle.
But once again, Kaguya suffered a crushing ten-match losing streak.
"Lost... again..." Kaguya, supporting herself on the floor with her hands, felt utterly defeated.
For someone who excelled in every field since childhood—aside from a certain physical aspect—losing so badly was nothing short of humiliating.
"Let's continue! I won't forget this humiliation!"
"That's enough," Amamiya said, setting the controller aside with a light sigh and a smile. "You should probably head out now."
Without a word, Kaguya bit her lower lip and put down the controller. Losers, after all, had no lines to speak.
"Amamiya-kun, we're off to go shopping," Umi waved with a bright smile. "Stay here and I'll bring you back a gift."
"Let's go."
With that, the three girls, accompanied by a maid Hayasaka, left for their outing.
Amamiya stayed behind, continuing his game solo.
Three hours later, the girls returned safe and sound.
"Amamiya-kun, we're back!" Umi called out as she opened the door, stepping into the room with shopping bags in hand.
Amamiya glanced up, noticing the girls had returned with various large and small packages. "How did it go?"
"The evil spirit never showed up," Umi whispered, covering her mouth with her hand. "It got dark, so we decided to head back."
Chika tapped the dark ribbon on her forehead. "The weather looks gloomy, like it's about to rain. Luckily, we made it back just in time."
Amamiya looked out the window, seeing the overcast sky. Indeed, it seemed a downpour was imminent.
"Miss, it's about time we return home," Hayasaka gently reminded Kaguya.
Kaguya nodded in acknowledgment. "I know."
While Chika and Umi could stay the night, Kaguya couldn't. It was fine to go out for the day, but staying out late would cause unnecessary trouble.
But before returning home, there was one last thing to address.
"Natsuki-san," Kaguya whispered, raising her gaze to meet his, "help me change my ability."
When she was home alone at night, having the ability to ward off evil spirits was essential.
Amamiya nodded, extending his hand. "Give me your hand."
"No..." Kaguya's cheeks flushed slightly as she hid her hands behind her back. "Let's do it in your room."
Holding hands in front of everyone was too embarrassing, no matter how she thought about it!
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