At noon, after lunch, everyone started their free ti activities according to their own preferences.
Those who wanted to play went to rent boats by the lake; those who wanted to rest napped or read books near the set-up tents; those who wanted to enjoy the scenery went for a walk nearby—Ti flew by. After a carefree afternoon, the sunset glow accompanied the sun dipping below the western horizon, and before they knew it, the curtain of night had fallen.
"Mhm... First put in the fire starter, then ensure proper ventilation..."
Under everyone's curious gazes, Shido imitated the tutorial video he watched online, starting a fire in the fire pit.
Carefully fanning it with a piece of cardboard, Shido only added firewood after the flas gradually grew larger.
The flas danced among the arranged wood, the blue ring of fire slowly expanding, eventually turning into a glowing orange campfire.
Carrying a faint smoky scent of charcoal, the warm light illuminated everyone's faces.
"Wow..."
Gathered around the campfire, the Spirits gasped in amazent, as if seeing an incredible miracle.
"Amazing! It really lit up! Shido! You're amazing!"
Tohka made a bit of a fuss over nothing.
"Haha... I just learned it on the fly."
Shido scratched his head a bit shyly. Despite saying that, he felt a great sense of accomplishnt in his heart.
Sitting not far from the campfire, Kotori stared at the flas, involuntarily muttering to herself.
"It is really incredible. Why is it that just looking at a campfire makes feel so at peace?"
"Peace. This might also be a human instinct."
"Kuku— Being in the vast, boundless darkness makes one falter and fall into chaos. At this ti, even encountering a sliver of light is salvation for the soul. I seem to understand why Protheus stole fire for humanity. Fire is the origin of civilization, the light that guides human evolution!"
Yuzuru and Kaguya agreed and chid in.
"I can understand your excitent. But be careful not to get too close to the campfire."
Wielding a ladle, Yutsuki walked over and reminded them.
"By the way, dinner is curry."
"Wow! I love Honey's cooking!"
Miku couldn't help but cheer.
"Curry, huh... Well, a classic is a classic. But it lacks a bit of the elent of surprise, my comrade."
"Disappointnt. Yuzuru thought we would forage for ingredients in the wild, and then grill them over the campfire."
"We are not doing wilderness survival here. If you want, we can roast so marshmallows over the fire later for dessert."
After roasting them with a bitter smile, Yutsuki walked to Yoshino's side.
"Here, Yoshino. Your portion. Be careful not to burn yourself."
"Mhm... Thank you."
Gently placing Yoshinon aside, Yoshino picked up the plate and spoon, and took a small bite.
"—!"
In an instant, Yoshino's eyes lit up.
"Is it good?"
Yoshino, her cheeks puffed up, excitedly shivered a bit, then gave Yutsuki a thumbs-up.
"Is that so? That is good."
Yutsuki said with a smile.
Not only Yoshino, but even the Yamai sisters, who had complaints about the curry at first, were now eating it with relish.
"Speaking of which, have you guys heard? The legend of this place?"
Suddenly, Kaguya spoke up, acting all mysterious.
"What is it? Are you going to tell a ghost story?"
"Helplessness. It is definitely just another story Kaguya made up on a whim."
"N-No, it is not! This is a real—Ahem!"
Being exposed by Yutsuki and Yuzuru, Kaguya first glared at the two angrily, then coughed and continued.
"A very long ti ago, near this lake, lived a couple..."
As she spoke, Kaguya secretly observed everyone's reactions. Surprisingly, quite a few people looked very interested in her story.
Feeling the satisfaction of being the center of attention, Kaguya poured more emotion into her storytelling.
According to Kaguya, it was a horror story often seen in urban legends. A happily married couple's life was ruined by an uninvited, bewitching beauty.
The husband beca unnaturally infatuated with the woman as if he had been drugged, gradually growing cold toward his wife.
Feeling deeply dissatisfied, the wife had a big fight with her husband, but it only created a deeper rift. The wife, who often slept in an empty room, eventually fell ill from a broken heart and threw herself into the lake to commit suicide.
"And then... the wife, whose resentnt could not be dispelled, turned into an earthbound spirit. When the husband and the woman went ho together to sort out her belongings, she dragged them both into the water and drowned them alive."
Saying that, Kaguya paused slightly, looked at everyone, and said eerily.
"Even now, the wife's ghost still lurks in this lake, appearing by the lake and in the forest at midnight..."
At this point, Kaguya suddenly widened her eyes in shock and pointed behind Tohka, saying,
"Right behind you!"
"Umu?"
Tohka tilted her head in confusion.
"——————Kyaa!!"
Suddenly, a monster covered in white cloth popped out from behind Tohka.
"——Kyaaaaaa!"
"...I-It appeared!"
Natsumi and Yoshino instantly scread in terror.
"Honey! I am so scared!"
"Onii-chan! Hurry up and defeat the ghost."
"Shido, I am so scared!"
"Eh? Ah, it is fine. Don't be scared."
Everyone instantly huddled together like frightened birds. However, it was very obvious that aside from Yoshino, Natsumi, and Tohka, the others's minds were not on the ghost from the very beginning.
For example, Miku, who is currently hugging Yutsuki with a face full of happiness, and Origami, who is leaning against Shido's chest with a straight face.
"That is enough... Yuzuru."
Looking at the "white monster" in front of her, Yutsuki said helplessly.
"Regret... As expected, I couldn't scare Yutsuki."
Yuzuru pulled off the white cloth, saying regretfully.
"You leave halfway through so obviously. What were you trying to do? Revenge for the teru teru bozu yesterday?"
Yuzuru nodded slightly.
"Answer. That was one of the reasons. The main reason was to add a bit of entertainnt to the camping trip."
"What... So it is Yuzuru-san..."
Seeing the monster's true identity, Yoshino breathed a sigh of relief with lingering fear.
"Scared to death... I thought it was a real ghost..."
"Apology. I am sorry, are you okay, Yoshino?"
"Kuku—How was it? My story was very scary, wasn't it!"
Clearly very satisfied with everyone's reaction, Kaguya bead.
"So-so! I can't say it was good, but I can't say it was bad either. Although I don't know much about horror stories. But it felt like it lacked a twist. I guessed the ending halfway through."
Yutsuki shrugged, giving her evaluation.
"...You are really sothing, to be able to state your impressions so calmly."
Shido said awkwardly.
"Well, my personal suggestion is that the part where the wife becos suicidal and prepares to throw herself into the lake can be slightly modified. Change it to the wife chickening out at the last mont, only to be pushed into the water from behind by soone."
"You are even offering editing suggestions!?"
"And then, the mont before she falls into the water, the wife turns around and looks back. What she sees on the shore is—her husband with a look of ecstatic joy!"
"In an instant, I feel like the husband deserves to die a thousand deaths!!"
"Imdiately after, the husband turns around, welcoming the bewitching woman he is on good terms with, and her appearance is exactly identical to the wife falling into the water."
"The story suddenly beca so confusing! This is bad... I suddenly want to hear the rest of the story."
"Just talking casually. But Kaguya, the story itself is indeed a bit plain. Rember to add so more twists next ti."
"I-I see—Ahem. What are you talking about! Every word of my story is true, without a single bit of fiction!"
And so, this dinner party ended amidst the group's usual fooling around.
———————————
"Natsumi-san...Natsumi-san..."
Just as Natsumi was fast asleep, she suddenly felt soone shaking her.
"Mhm... Who is it..."
Groggy, rubbing her eyes, Natsumi sat up in her sleeping bag. Looking closely, the person was none other than Yoshino.
"Y-Yoshino?!"
Suddenly snapping awake, Natsumi sat up straight, a bit at a loss.
"Y-Yoshino, calling so late... Did sothing happen?"
"Um, um..."
Yoshino blushed and lowered her head, looking like she found it hard to speak.
To this, the rabbit puppet Yoshinon on her hand shook its head and added helplessly.
"Actually, Yoshino-chan has been too scared to sleep after hearing Kaguya's ghost story. And then she accidentally drank too much water, and need to go the bathroom."
"But... It is so dark outside... it's so scary."
After mumbling, Yoshino looked at Natsumi with teary eyes and pleaded softly.
"Could you... go with ?"
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