Mr. Ueno was chatting with others, while his students seed a bit aimless, so the three of them went to find them and inquire about the situation.
"A food ghost story... hmm, sorry, I do know an urban legend that’s sowhat similar, would you like to hear it?"
Sakura Kahi seed a bit embarrassed but still gave an answer.
"Yes, we want to hear it!"
"Alright, I’ll tell it... cough, this is a story that happened to a friend of a friend..."
Hmm, a very classic ghost story opening line.
"That friend was working in a restaurant, which had a table that no one ever sat at, a four-seat table. It’s the table placed to the right of the entrance, the innermost table number 3. Every Wednesday around three o’clock in the afternoon, that table, which clearly had no guests, would ring a bell. But regardless of whether they were working or restaurant staff mbers, everyone would naturally place a cup of water on that table."
"Clearly no one?"
Banai tilted her head in confusion, while Duanmu Huai and Chitanda both showed interest in this story. The previous story about a rice ball was, after all, too far from real life, but this one was closely related—especially for Banai, who went to a family restaurant after school every day for "pre-al dessert."
As for "pre-al dessert" being a hamburger combo, Duanmu Huai couldn’t be bothered to complain.
"Well, it seems to be a kind of tradition, even the manager doesn’t know when it started or why. Of course, normally no one sits at table 3, but during busier tis, guests would be guided there. Particularly, after three o’clock on Wednesday afternoons, guests sitting at that table would feel very uncomfortable and leave imdiately after eating. Naturally, so guests would turn away upon seeing the table."
"......"
Duanmu Huai and Chitanda exchanged a look, not speaking but clearly, if this table truly existed, they’d be quite interested to see whether Banai’s appetite or the ghost’s presence was stronger...
"One staff mber said that after her shift ended at nine, while leaving the restaurant and accidentally looking back, she saw a woman with long hair sitting at table 3. She was just staring at the water placed on the table, looking very lonely..."
"Well, of course."
Upon hearing this, Banai vigorously nodded.
"Clearly you went to a restaurant, and the staff didn’t serve food, only giving a cup of water, I’d be sad too!"
Hmm, coming from Banai, this statent indeed holds so persuasion.
Hearing Banai’s emotion, Sakura Kahi smiled and continued.
"Then, one Wednesday around six in the afternoon, four guests who seed a bit troubleso ca into the restaurant. There were quite a few people there that day, so the waiter led them to table 4. After a while, more guests, who seed like their companions, showed up. The guests directly indicated they wanted to sit at table 3. The server tried to stop them, but the other party said, ’This table has only had a cup of water placed on it since just now, there’s no one here. Anyone can sit on it.’... Thus, they were reluctantly allowed to sit there."
"And then?"
Banai asked curiously, while Chitanda instinctively wanted to cover her ears.
"Hmm... after sitting at table 3, the guests started feeling very uncomfortable, didn’t even finish their drinks, and forcibly left with the companions next to them. Later... "
"Later?"
"Later, after three o’clock in the afternoon every Wednesday, if there were guests who made the folks uncomfortable, they’d lead them to table 3. This way, those troubleso guests would leave on their own."
"........."
After hearing this story, it wasn’t just Banai, even Duanmu Huai and Chitanda were speechless.
Originally thinking the ending might involve those guests being cursed by evil spirits and dying, it turned out to be an act of revenge filled with dissatisfaction from the service industry...
In this story, what’s truly terrifying—ghosts or humans?
Troubleso guests being led to haunted seats by resentful staff...
"Still... does this count as food-related?"
Chitanda held a pen, looking at the notebook in front of her, unsure of whether to jot it down.
"Of course!"
Banai vigorously nodded.
"Tables are important too! Without a table, how would you eat? This definitely counts as a food-related ghost story! By the way, Miss Sakurai, which restaurant has that table?"
"I want to say this is just an urban legend, I actually don’t know... But in fact, this table is right here in this room."
"Huh?"
I must say, this is quite unexpected.
"Really?"
Banai curiously looked around, yet at this mont the restaurant was full of four-seat tables draped with tablecloths, all looking the sa from the outside, difficult to distinguish.
"Which table is it, Miss Sakurai?"
"I don’t know, after hearing the urban legend and investigating, the teacher found the table and brought it here." As for which one... you’d only know by sitting down."
Banai was excited, Duanmu Huai didn’t care, while Chitanda trembled and nervously huddled close to Duanmu Huai, glancing around.
Next, the three found Mr. Ueno’s second student, the flamboyantly dressed Spicy Girl Ueda, whose appearance contrasted with her trendy attire as she shared a rather ancient legend.
"Do you know about the dish mansion? It’s said that in Osaka Castle, there is a mansion belonging to Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s widow. This temperantal woman would often murder those who disobeyed her and throw them into the backyard well. After her death, the house fell into ruin, and rumors suggested ghosts often appeared there. At the ti, an official didn’t believe in ghosts and moved in with servants. Among them was Ah Ju, whom the official liked, but after proposing unsuccessfully, bore resentnt. During a New Year banquet, the official asked Ah Ju to fetch the ancestral plates, and on the day of the banquet, the official hid a plate and falsely accused Ah Ju of breaking it. Not only did he beat her, but he cut off one of her fingers to apologize for the incident. Wronged, Ah Ju decided to die with dignity, jumping into the well. After that, the official often saw Ah Ju’s ghost counting plates before him, bleeding from her orifices upon the ninth plate, saying, ’Sir, there’s still one plate missing.’
"........."
"The official was shocked, drew a knife, but ended up killing his wife instead. The official then went insane, seeing everyone in his ho as Ah Ju, slaughtering them all overnight before killing himself—I’ve heard there’s still a well called ’Ah Ju’s well’ in Osaka Castle."
At this point, Ueda giggled.
"By the way, regarding this story, the nine plates belonging to Ah Ju have also been collected by the teacher here, maybe the plates used during tonight’s banquet are the ones left behind by Ah Ju."
"Eh——————!"
Upon hearing this, Chitanda’s face turned pale, seemingly losing her appetite completely.
"Does this count as a food-related ghost story too?"
Duanmu Huai looked strangely at Banai, who hesitated for a mont before nodding.
"Plates carry food, so of course they count!"
With your reasoning, wouldn’t pots, bowls, pans, knives, and stoves all count...?
Duanmu Huai turned off the recorder, casting a glance at the lively hall on the other side.
"Anyway, let’s continue, there’s one more story, right."
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